LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 

Shelf __S%- 



ENITED STATES OF AMERICA. 




The Way 

OF LlEE. 

«■ * * * -x- 

* * * ¥ i 



A.N Allegory. 




MESSENGER APPROACHING WITH THE "VOLUME OF LIFE. 



The way er \i\rz; 

OR, 

SPIRITUAL THERMOMETER. 



A story in dream of a successful journey through 
this world to the next, showing the duties 
and dangers of the Christian life, 



AN ALLEGORY. 




BY 



GEO. BRINK STRANAHAN. 



* cO? YR,G Hr *V 
AUG 271888^' 

^shingtO^- " v 



PUBLISHED FOR THE AUTHOR, 
Battle Creek, Mich. 
1888. 




Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1887, 

By GEO. BRINK STRANAHAN, 

In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C. 



TO THE READER. 



T 



HE design of this allegory is to lead men to a 
better world. It is written to bring the sinner 



to repentance, those in darkness to light, those in 
death to life. All men would like to finally see a 
better land ; but the temptations, or by-paths, of this 
world lead some in one direction and some in an- 
other, away from that straight, simple, yet divine 
pathway that ends in glory. Nothing is more com- 
mon than religious error ; but when finally seen, 
nothing is more ill-repaired. To save men from this 
and from a death that is eternal, is the object of this 
work. Then let him who herein seeks this way, seek 
till he shall find it ; and let him who finds it, follow 
it most faithfully. 



G. B. S. 



CONTENTS. 



PAGE. 

Love Plain . . . . 8 

Worldly Valley ....... 10 

Wealth By-Path ........ 12 

Wealth Inn 20 

Pleasure By-Path 24 

Pleasure City ........ 29 

Pleasure River 31 

Popularity By-Path 35 

The Three Monuments 37 

The Reversed River ...... 45 

Liberal By-Path . 51 

Broad Church 53 

Morality Branch Path 56 

The Three Mountain Ranges .... 62 

Literary By-Path . . . . . .68 

Literary Prison . ... . . . 69 

Regeneration Fountain 71 

The Lost Keys 73 

The Dark Days . . 75 

Intemperance By-Path ...... 78 

Moderation Incline . . . . . .79 

Surprise Quagmire . . . ... . 80 

Excess Incline . .81 

Excess Sink 83 

Consummation Sink 85 

Chrystallization Incline ..... 87 

Tremens Terminus 88 

Consummation By-Path 91 

Domestic Valley . . 93 

Depravity Center 98 

Hopeless Terminus . . . . . . . 103 

The More Heavenly Way 108 

Hell . .114 

Heaven 115 




AS I was meditating upon how to follow that which 
is good, and to avoid that which is evil, with refer- 
ence to this world and the next, I fell into a profound 
slumber. In the midst of my sleep I dreamed that I was 
approached by a being of transcendent wisdom, power, 
and sweetness, who touched my arm and said, " Son, 
wouldst thou know the way of life ? " I replied that 
I would, when he said, " Come with me, and I will show 
thee the way by which thou mayst avoid the pangs 
of an eternal hell, and reach the glories of an eternal 
heaven." And I said, " Art thou God, that thy wisdom 
should be so great ? " He replied, "I am not God, but 
his angel messenger, whom he % has sent to show thee the 
way to Paradise." "If thou art a guide from God," I 
rejoined, " I will follow thee. What wouldst thou that I 
should do ? " And he said, "Hast thou repented of all 
thy sins ? " To which I answered, " I have not. " Then, 
said he, "Repent, for this is the first step to salvation. 
And let thy repentance be sincere and hearty ; for 
many a man fails fully to embrace righteousness because 
he fails fully to repent of sin, and thus loses salvation. 
Moreover," he continued, " thou hast for years been 
incurring the displeasure of Almighty God, against 
whom thy sins have been directly or indirectly com- 
mitted, and who hath said, ' Except ye repent ye shall 

2 [5] 



8 



THE WAY OF LIFE: 



called the " Way of Life" would bring me to my desired 
haven. I asked which path it was. He answered, 
" Open the ' Volume of Life ' at such a place, for this is 
thine authority." So I opened the book and read, 
" Strait is the gate and narrow is the way which 
leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." 
After much inspection, I saw that only one path led 
straight to the Sun of Righteousness, which was just 
rising above the horizon. I also observed that this 
was the only path along which the hand of the heav- 
enly compass pointed, and that all points of this long, 
straight, narrow way were covered by it. Then said 
I, "Is not this the Way of Life ? " And he answered 
that it was, and immediately we entered into it, and 
began our journey. 

LOVE PLAIN. 

We had proceeded but a short distance when we 
came upon a broad, beautiful, undulating plain. It 
was dotted with all kinds of trees, and was bright with 
blooming flowers, whose fragrance came to us at every 
step. Green grass carpeted the ground ; the song of 
birds floated among the trees ; babbling brooks went 
coursing on their way, and balmy zephyrs played 
around us. 

"Pilgrim," said the guide "(and henceforth I will 
call thee Pilgrim ; for thou art a pilgrim to a better 
world), we are now in Love Plain ; and here at the 
outset of thy journey I have somewhat to say to thee. 
This is called Love Plain, because it is as thy first love for 
the King to whose country thou art traveling. Here," 
he continued, " many make a great mistake, as will 
most of these whom thou seest on the plain [for a con- 
siderable company had started on the journey at about 
the time they did]. The error is this, will men mistake 
the first effects of love for love itself. This plain, with 
all its delights, is not love, but these are its fruits. 
When thou didst turn in repentance, and determine to 



AN ALLEGORY. 



9 



honor and obey God, that was thy true love, which in 
its character is a principle, and not an emotion. Seek 
love as a principle, not as an emotion. As an emotion 
it may bring thee thus far, but no farther. As a prin- 
ciple, it will take thee to the joys of a better world. 
If you depend on emotion, that emotion will cease 
when greater and counteracting emotions arise and 
overpower it. 

"In thy 'Volume of Life,' thou art commanded to 
love thine enemies ; but the malignant character of 
thine enemies will extinguish in thy breast all emotional 
love, and it is therefore only by principle that 
thou canst love them. It also requires thee to crucify 
the flesh, with the affections and lusts ; but the flesh is 
full of warring members, which would set upon and 
soon kill all emotional love. Therefore it is only by love 
as a principle that thou wilt be able to crucify the flesh. 
Moreover, it will prohibit thee from loving the world." 

Here he directed me to open the " Volume " to a pas- 
sage which read, "Love not the world, neither the 
things that are in the world." 

Then he continued : "Now emotional love is fluctu- 
ating, sometimes high, but oftener low. Natural love 
for the world is very strong ; and when the soul has 
little love for God, the world with all its pleasures and 
interests will rush in and overwhelm it. Hence, love 
to God in principle is all that can keep thee from a 
love of the world." 

I asked, " What is love to God as a principle ? " He 
replied, "It is honor and regard for him because he is 
Creator and Kedeemer, so high as to cause obedience to 
his will It is also love to man because he is God's 
creature and thy brother. This is true love, because 
it is founded on the character and authority of God, 
which will never change. " Then," I said, " if that be 
true, I will embrace this love, for it must be that it is 
only by this that I can reach the King and the coun- 
try to which I am traveling. It must also be by this 
that I can appreciate and enjoy them after they are 
reached." 



10 



THE WAY OF LIFE: 



As we proceeded on our way, I engaged much in 
prayer, and praise, and reading the "Volume of Life," 
and in love endeavored to discharge all duties to those 
I met. Such were the delights of the place that I was 
tempted to leave the Way of Life, and stay awhile 
amid its sequestered charms. But the guide said, " To 
those who tarry here these delights soon fade. These 
were made by the King for his faithful children, and 
such is their nature that only those who are faithful 
can be pleased with them." So we traveled on, prais- 
ing God that he had done so much for his children, and 
rejoicing in anticipation of far greater things at the 
end of the journey. 

But it was not long before I was surprised to see the 
landscape begin to narrow, and the beautiful plain soon 
came to an end. Then said the guide, " As the plain 
has been like thy first love for the King, — beautiful 
in character, — so, like most men's first love for him, it 
is short in duration. But to him that is faithful to the 
end, the beauties thou hast seen in this plain will be as 
shadows compared with the glories of a better world." 

WORLDLY VALLEY. 

At the end of the plain we came upon Worldly Val- 
ley. "This," said the guide, "is so called because 
when most men leave their first love, or Love Plain, 
they go down into the valley of worldliness." The be- 
ginning of this valley was rather narrow, but it soon 
widened out to enormous dimensions. It was at first 
sha'low, but gradually deepened along its length, until 
it reached a great depth. 

The general character of the valley was directly op- 
posite that of Love Plain, although at first it promised 
much. Instead of being light and airy, like the plain, 
it became cloudy as one advanced into it, and its 
atmosphere was stifling. Instead of a pleasant surface, 
it was broken by deep ravines, dangerous precipices, 
abrupt bluffs, and threatening, overhanging, rocky 
ledges. Instead of sweet and gentle waters, it had cor- 



AN ALLEGORY. 



11 



roding fountains, and rushing rivers, and thundering 
cataracts. Instead of charming zephyrs, it was often 
disturbed by sweeping winds and parching blasts, de- 
structive tornadoes and polar frosts. As the plain 
was the product of righteousness, so this place was the 
product of sin. 

Straight through this valley ran the Way of Life; 
but though the Way was in it, it was not of it. From 
its beginning to its far distant end in glory it was a 
perpetual ascent ; and when it entered the valley, there 
was no exception. It was like a railway, which, 
though it passes through deep ravines, miry sloughs, 
and over rushing rivers, is built above and not subject 
to them. Along this pathway fell the rays of the Sun 
of Righteousness, which was above the horizon, but 
which, because of natural deformities of the ground, 
was not permitted materially to lighten the valley. 
They, therefore, who were in the Way of Life re- 
ceived the full light ; while those who dwelt in the val- 
ley received the light only by reflection from the Way 
of Life, and, as it were, dwelt in the twilight. 

But, notwithstanding the fact that this pathway 
was in the main above the valley, there were many 
by-paths which led from the pathway down to it. 
These were the outgrowth of the valley, and were not 
a part of the Way of Life, but were thrust against it. 
They were named according to their character, as 
Wealth By-Path and Pleasure By-Path, and were 
filled with unnumbered temptations to ensnare the un- 
suspecting, and to allure the passing pilgrims into the 
valley; and when once allured, they did not usually 
return. 

These by-paths were very deceiving. Instead of 
running straight down into the valley, they ran for a 
distance beside the Way of Life, and were made to ap- 
pear so much like it, and were so narrow, that only he 
who was watchful knew when he entered the forbid- 
den paths; while they who did not see their mistake, 
after following them for a time were led suddenly into 
the depths of the valley- But, though there was 



12 



THE WAY OF LIFE : 



danger of being led astray by these deceiving ways, 
the "Volume of Life" and the instruments furnished 
to each pilgrim, and which it was the duty of each to 
follow, contained sufficient directions and warnings to 
escape them. 

As we entered the valley I turned my eyes, and saw 
that many who had come to the end of the plain 
turned back. This, the guide said, was due to the fact 
that their love was only an emotion, and not a prin- 
ciple. And he continued, " Only they whose hearts 
are, because of certain principles, fixed on things as 
supremely above this world as is this Way of Life above 
this valley, can reach the distant goal. In the midst 
of temptations to tarry here, only they who hold good 
reasons to seek a better land will find it. 

The attractions of the valley, to an earnest pilgrim, 
were not so great as those of the plain, though to a 
worldling they were greater. But its uncongenial 
character served more firmly to establish my mind on 
things beyond, where I should find a companionship 
that would be better, and -a clime more glorious. Ac- 
cordingly, I hastened on when I might otherwise have 
been sluggish, and religiously labored when I might 
otherwise have played. To the poor I gave food ; to 
the naked, raiment; to the distressed, comfort; and to 
the sick, succor. My devotional duties were daily 
and hourly performed. Indeed, I found that the first- 
named duties were most easily accomplished when the 
latter were best done. In other words, when my inner 
life was most pleasing to God, my outer life was best 
suited to man. 

WEALTH BY-PATH. 

As we were traveling on our way, the guide in- 
formed me that we had reached Wealth By-Path. 
This surprised me; for though I had heard of this by- 
path, I saw no indications that we had reached it; for 
it was at first narrow, and ran parallel with, and very 
near to, the Way of Life ; then it turned suddenly into 



AN ALLEGOKY. 



13 



the valley. This fact, the guide said, rendered it 
doubly dangerous. But he showed me where this 
joined the main pathway, and I saw that many had 
tried to walk in both; but 'as the valley inclined down- 
ward most of those who made the attempt were lost. 

As we proceeded, I saw many persons along this 
by-path, some having just entered it, and others being 
far down in the valley. All these were intent on 
wealth. - Some were poor, but sought it as eagerly as 
those of large possessions. Though all were anxious 
for wealth, all did not wish it in the same form. 
Some were anxious for gold, which they carried about 
and showed as children show toys. Some kept it hid 
in a private place, and often secretly resorted thither, 
delighting their eyes with the shining metal. Others 
were satisfied with nothing but broad acres of land, 
over which they delighted to wander, and with which 
their souls were ravished. What gold was to the first, 
lands were to the second. Others were satisfied only 
with horses and carriages, dress and equipage, — with 
whatever contributed to show and glitter. But what- 
ever their possessions, they made them sufficient for 
both soul and body, until the spirit was buried under 
the corrupted debris of the flesh. Though their souls 
had eyes, the eyes of their bodies were used in their 
stead; though they had ears, the ears of their bodies 
were used in their place ; and though they had spiritual 
perceptions, their natural perceptions were substituted 
for them. Indeed, wealth was a worldly fertilizer, 
which caused their carnal life to overgrow and kill the 
soul. 

As we continued our journey, I noticed that the 
persons in the by-path increased until large numbers 
were seen. This the guide explained was caused by 
the by-path's becoming wider and more fraught 
with temptations, and also by indifferent pilgrims' be- 
coming more emboldened by these temptations to enter 
it. He continued, " The love of wealth is natural to 
man; and if he will love the wealth of a better world, 
its rewards, its joys, its glories, this tendency in his na- 



14 



THE WAY OF LIFE: 



ture will meet the end for which Heaven has designed 
it. If, because of carnal conditions, the love of the 
wealth of this world is corrupting, likewise, because of 
spiritual conditions, the love of the wealth of a better 
world is ennobling. 

"It follows, then, that this is the last that God has 
designed man should fix his heart upon, because it is 
only then that he can fulfill his mission in this world 
and in the next, and only then that his grasping nature 
can be fully satisfied. It may be well for some to ac- 
cumulate a portion of this world's goods, but not to 
love them; to accumulate here for a hereafter ; whose 
aim should be to spread the gospel, to relieve the dis- 
tressed, to enlighten the ignorant, to save men's souls. 
But few are they who would be rich here for the sake 
of the wealth of a hereafter ; and he is safest who looks 
alone to the wealth of another world." 

Now it happened that about this time we came in 
sight of a number of men who were busily engaged in 
digging in the earth. Observing their earnestness, I 
concluded that something valuable must be sought, and 
hastened to learn what it might be. As I approached 
them, I saw that they were washing in water, earth 
which they had dug out, and soon ascertained that they 
were digging for gold. Indeed, it was hardly necessary 
to inquire; for the washed gold-dust lay temptingly 
about. The men asked me to join in their work, so I 
seized a shovel and commenced digging. In a little 
time I accumulated several dollars, and became so 
engaged as to forget all else. My mind experienced 
the amazing contraction from immortal glory, and 
worlds on high, down to a few bits of shapeless metal. 
But while I was thus occupied, I felt a hand touch my 
shoulder, and looking up I saw the anxious face of my 
faithful guide, whom I had thoughtlessly left behind. 

"Pilgrim," said he, "art thou in the way of life? 
If thou think st thou art. examine thy compass and ther- 
mometer." Immediately drawing forth my compass, 
I discovered that its needle did not point, as it formerly 
did, parallel to the path that I was pursuing ; but that 



AN ALLEGORY. 



15 



it was far off from it. In my astonishment, I said to 
the guide, " The compass must be wrong." But he 
reassured me, as he had assured me when he first gave 
me the compass, that it never varied. Then drawing 
forth my thermometer, which formerly was gradually 
rising in the nineties, I discovered to my horror that it 
had fallen nearly to thirty degrees. " Now," said the 
guide, " thou canst see by this that thy compass was 
right, and that thou art not in the Way of Life; but 
that thou hast far digressed from it; and thou canst 
also see by this thermometer that thou art spiritually 
freezing, and that, eventually, thou wilt be frozen to 
death. Arise, let us return." Taking my arm in a 
most fatherly way, he led me toward the forgotten 
Way of Life. 

As we were leaving, the men desired me to test them 
with my thermometer, and taking it into their presence 
for a moment, I found that with most of them it fell be- 
low zero, which, to such, indicated a hopeless state; not 
that God would not be willing to pardon, but that they 
would not heartily repent and seek his forgiveness. The 
guide then requested me to reverse the thermometer ; 
for as I said in my description of this instrument, on 
the opposite side of it there was another scale that 
would indicate the spiritual state of persons in former 
years. I then turned it round, and found that a few 
had been converted, and that two or three had reached 
one hundred degrees. These had left the way which 
we were pursuing, and we urged them to return with 
us, warning them of a coming judgment and an eternal 
punishment, and reminding them of the danger of 
their pursuit; all of which they acknowledged, but re- 
plied that they were beyond remedy. Only one con- 
sented to go back with us, who, however, proved to be 
one of the most faithful, and in works and devotions 
continued to the end. 

As we were returning the guide discoursed concern- 
ing the dangers attending the pursuit of wealth. He 
said the glutton might be temporarily satisfied, but he 
who was pursuing wealth was forever craving, rushing 



16 



THE WAY OF LIFE: 



on after the mental peace which he hoped to find, yet 
never reaching it. He said there were, moreover, two 
great evils attending the acquisition and possession of 
wealth. One is the dishonesty, fraud, and treachery 
into which efforts for its acquisition lead men; the 
other is the vices, debauchery, intemperance, and fast- 
ness into which it often drags them after it is' acquired. 
He continued: " Nations are sometimes debauched by 
wealth, and are covered as with a pall with the night 
of ignorance and vice. Its corrupting influence has 
been a great factor in, and sometimes the only cause 
of, the destruction of some of the mightiest powers the 
world ever saw. Thus with individuals, the high as 
well as the low, the mighty as well as the weak, may 
fall by the love of wealth." 

He then descanted on its effects in another state, 
saying that he whose hearts were fixed on the things of 
this natural world, could have no relish for the things 
of a better and spiritual world. He said that in per- 
dition the avarice which it had created, would forever 
crave without being satisfied; that the falsity into 
which it had tempted men would be forever false; 
and that the impurity into which it had helped men 
would be forever impure. In support of this he di- 
rected me to a passage in the " Volume of Life," which I 
found to read as follows: " He that is filthy, let him 
be filthy still." 

In concluding, he said that while the love of wealth 
was wrong, all, nevertheless, were justifiable in acquir- 
ing something for declining years. 

Before peaching the Way of Life, we passed a sign- 
post designed as a warning to mistaken pilgrims. 
Some designing persons had attempted to make it illeg- 
ible. Nevertheless, my experience, together with the 
undying truth of the inscription, enabled me to de- 
cipher it. It read: " Ye cannot serve God and Mam- 
mon." On our return I knelt down and prayed fer- 
vently that God would so fill me with his spirit that 
temptations would try me less, and that he would as- 
sist me to resist the first temptings to wrong. For I 



AN ALLEGORY. 



17 



found by experience that the buds of certain sins — as 
avarice — were easily crushed, but after they were 
fully developed, might never be overcome. I also gave 
praise to God that through the atoning sacrifice of his 
Son, I could be forgiven for my wrong. Then I re- 
sumed my journey with increased rapidity and devo- 
tion, for I had learned anew by my recent experience 
that I was in the midst of danger. 

All along our way men had occasionally turned in 
repentance from the valley and entered the Way of 
Life; but as we advanced, I noticed that fewer did so 
than in the earlier stages of our travels. The guide 
explained that this was owing to men's hardness of 
heart, and to increasing indifference, as they advanced 
in life and in the interest of wealth. Nature being 
more plastic and impressible in early life, men were 
then more easily constrained to eschew the love of 
wealth, and to follow the better way. Everywhere, 
as we moved on, the inhabitants were seen busily en- 
gaged in the accumulation of this world's goods, some 
already being wealthy. Yet nowhere did I see one sit 
down satisfied, and desire no more. Even if old and 
unable to do anything in body, their minds were still 
grasping. Speaking of this, the guide remarked that 
all forms of avarice left the mind craving, while only 
the assurance of the wealth of heaven could bring 
quiet to the mysterious life of the spirit. 

As a matter of duty, I endeavored to persuade every 
sinner whom I met to abandon his sins, and through 
the atonement of Je-us Christ to lay hold on eternal 
life and to avoid the pangs of an endless death. I ex- 
plained that when the work of sin was completed in 
the soul, it was as enduring as eternity itself, and that 
misery was its offspring and a world of darkness its 
home. A few were persuaded and saved, for which I 
was profoundly grateful. But the supremacy of the 
love of wealth in most of them was plainly seen in the 
fact that heaven, hell, and eternity could not break its 
hold upon them. 

There was a curious fact, which I will mention in 



18 



THE WAY OF LIFE: 



this connection. Many of die inhabitants along the 
way brought gold, silver, grain, provisions, and other 
worldly goods, and deposited them in the Way of Life, 
standing outside themselves. But I informed them 
that the order of their proceedings was wrong, that 
they should first enter the Way of Life themselves, 
and then bring their substance, which otherwise would 
be of no use to them. But what I said availed but 
little with most of them, as they returned into the 
valley to their pursuit, coming up once or twice a year 
to deposit their gifts. This gave me the knowledge of 
an additional danger attending the possession of wealth ; 
namely, that some who possessed it, gave of that in- 
stead of themselves. Yet, notwithstanding that what 
these persons gave did not help them in the Way of 
Life, and therefore did not help to bring them salva- 
tion, it did help those who chanced to be traveling in 
that direction; for there were poor ones, who, though 
they traveled well, needed assistance in the way of 
charity and instruction. 

I felt pained to see so many in this by-path, and so 
few in the Way of Life. Indeed, I was so dissatisfied 
as seriously to contemplate going out, and in one way 
or another getting all into the Way of Life. True, I 
knew the way to be narrow, but I also knew it was 
straight; and I calculated that as each traveled on, 
room would thus be made for all. But the guide said 
that my zeal was beginning to exceed my wisdom. 
He had often commended my efforts to save the lost, 
but he said that I now proposed to do more than God 
himself, and that I erred in two particulars : First, be- 
cause men should not be induced into the Way of Life, 
except as they could be with the single object of saving 
their souls ; second, because if all could be gathered 
into it by presenting various objects to them, they 
would not, as I anticipated, travel on along the path 
and give room to one another, but rather that they 
would linger near the place of their treasure, and would 
stand in the way of those who were better travelers. 
He remarked that we should be satisfied with those we 



AN ALLEGORY. 



19 



had helped into the Way of Life, who were really 
saved, and that after using all the means God had 
given us to save souls, further efforts were productive 
of harm rather than good. In proof thereof, he cited 
me to a passage in my "Volume of Life," which I 
found to read as follows : " Ephraim is joined to idols ; 
let him alone." 

It was to the disadvantage of the Way of Life that 
all of the five bodily senses craved wealth, in one way 
or another. When the ear heard the fascinations of 
its artful music and the rustle of its equipage, it was 
charmed by them. When the eye saw its gold, its ele- 
gant mansions, and its gaudy display, it desired them. 
When the odor of its perfumes and the fragrance of its 
sweets were inhaled, they were sought for. When the 
palate tasted its wines, its viands, and its delicacies, it 
craved them. When the ease and luxury which it 
brought were felt, they were coveted. Each of the nat- 
ural senses found in Wealth By-Path something to de- 
sire. But these senses were limited, and did not look 
forward to the time when the ear should be dull, when 
the sight should be poor, when the smell should be im- 
perfect, when the taste should be deadened, and when 
the feeling should be blunted. 

It was a convincing argument, which I used with 
some of these people, that those who entered the Way 
of Life had new senses opened to them, which did not 
thus decline, but grew more and more acute as the 
bodily senses became impaired. These senses were faith, 
love, joy, and peace, which came from communion with 
a higher being. They were the beginning of the wealth 
of a better world. The bodily senses were liable to 
corrupt, dwarf, and destroy themselves; but these 
senses, spiritual in their nature, purified, enlarged, and 
preserved themselves. These senses, I said, were opened 
here, but would flourish in a more friendly clime — be- 
yond the grave. These facts were quite impressive to 
certain persons of this by-path who desired better 
and more enduring possessions. I was satisfied, after 
much experience, that persons having this craving an- 



20 



THE WAY OF LIFE 



ture, could, if they would, transfer their natural desire 
for the wealth of this world, to a desire for the opulence 
of the next. Thus might the curse of avarice be 
turned into a blessing. True, love and obedience to 
God should be the chief consideration with reference 
to the future, but the desire for the benefits of heaven 
may also be a mighty incentive. 

WEALTH INN 

We chanced to pass in sight of Wealth Inn, which 
stood some distance from the Way of Life. This name 
was given it because it was resorted to by lovers of 
wealth. It was a pretentious building, and had a 
large patronage from the by-path, which it well repre- 
sented. There were three dining-rooms in the inn, 
representing some of the different phases of wealth. 
The first was called the Luxury Dining-Room. It 
was celebrated for the excellence of its viands, for the 
superiority of its wines, and for the selection of its 
sweetmeats. Here wealth gave birth to gluttony ; glut- 
tony to debauchery, and debauchery to vice. Here 
men drank until they were beasts; they ate until they 
were gormands; they reveled until they were socially 
intoxicated. To these the curse of wealth was its ex- 
cessive use. 

The second room was called Avarice Dining-Room. 
It was occupied by men whose love of wealth was 
equally great with the first, but who used it in an op- 
posite extreme. The tables in this room were as re- 
markable as the first ; but it was for the scantiness of 
the food and the poorness of its quality. Men who ate 
here were equally rich with the first, but more penuri- 
ous. The first loved wealth for the sake of gluttony; 
these loved it for the sake of wealth. Their bodies 
were thin and their faces pinched. Their garments 
were not sufficient to make them comfortable. But 
this was not all. They were not alone impoverished 
in body, but impoverished in intellect. Outside their 
business they knew nothing; they wanted nothing, 



AN ALLEGORY. 



21 



they sought nothing of a mental nature. Their wealth 
had made them poor, and their poverty had made them 
rich. When they were thought of or spoken of, it 
was primarily with reference to their wealth. People 
spoke of these men, but meant their riches; they spoke 
of their riches, and forgot the men. These were lost 
in their wealth. As men drop into the ocean and disap- 
pear, so these had largely disappeared in their posses- 
sions. 

The third room was called the Transformation Din- 
ing-Room. Its tables were loaded with the Scriptures, 
religious books, tracts, maps of the Holy Land, and 
the like. This was a free room, designed for those who 
had debauched in the first room and starved in the 
second. It was intended that those whom the first 
room had made sinners, and were starved in the soul, 
should here be transformed into saints, and be fed in 
spirit. Alas, the mistake! Instead of being trans- 
formed into saints, they were transformed into devils. 
They read of the dangers of wealth, but they perverted 
these warnings into a license for it. They read of a 
coming judgment, which they did not doubt, but 
treated it with indifference. They read of an eternal 
hell, in which they also believed, but mocked at its 
pangs. Some of them had professed Christianity, but 
the • corruptions of wealth had made them infidels. 
These people entered this room as men, but such was 
their perverseness that, under the power of wealth, in 
the midst of divine things they became hissing serpents. 
Some of them entered it thirsty, but left with their 
thirst intensified. Some entered it hungry, bat left 
with the pangs of hunger increased. It was designed 
to feed men spiritually, but as the first two rooms had 
been perverted and corrupted, so had this. 

The love of wealth was the foundation of all this 
wrong. It was the physical disease of the first room, 
the mental disease of the second room, and the spirit- 
ual malady of the third room. Had the food of the 
last room been partaken of, it would, like an antidote 
for poison, have rectified the evils of the first; but as 
3 



22 



THE WAY OF LIFE: 



it was not, save here and there an exception, it served 
rather to intensify them. All kinds of gambling were 
practiced here, so greedy were these occupants for 
wealth. I learned by these things that the results of 
the love of wealth embraced more than one or two 
evils. I learned that they were varied, sometimes 
such as might not be looked for. I saw that they 
robbed the soul of its faith and joy, dwarfed and nar- 
rowed the intellect, sickened and killed the body. 

As we passed along the Way of Life, and saw peo- 
ple anxiously engaged in the pursuit of wealth, I could 
not avoid the reflection that as men's bodies are 
drowned in the great ocean, so their souls are lost in 
the great sea of wealth. Upon every unseen shore, on 
every rock of disaster, and in every current of advent- 
ure, these souls go down to all that is divine, and rise 
no more except in the judgment. He who sinks into 
the great deep, lies upon its bottom ; there he rests un- 
disturbed. Above him roll the mighty waters, and 
the rushing tempests sweep unheeded. Not so with 
him who sinks into the sea of wealth. Its storms ever 
buffet him, its winds ever chill him, its changes ever 
move him, and it casts up mire and dirt to his discom- 
fiture. 

So anxious were many to accumulate, that their un- 
principled practices broke their friendships, estranged 
their families, and chilled their affections. They al- 
lowed nothing to interfere with their love of wealth. 
A remarkable instance of resentment to such interfer- 
ence came under my observation. I endeavored to 
persuade some who were wedded to this world's goods, 
to fix their affections on a better wealth in a higher 
world I told them these things were unworthy the 
affections of immortal beings, and endeavored to dis- 
suade them from them. The effect was directly oppo- 
site to what I had intended. These persons became 
greatly offended, and to resent my language, en- 
deavored to obstruct my passage along the Way of 
Life. To do this, they piled straw, rubbish, and vari- 
ous articles called temptation obstacles, which were de- 



AN ALLEGORY. 



23 



signed to provoke my resentment, beside my pathway, 
but considerably below it, supposing they had put 
them directly in my way. They also fired certain 
poisoned arrows at me, which were called the shafts of 
slander. These also feU beneath me, their instruments 
of death being too weak to fire sufficiently high to 
reach the Way of Life. This episode proved two 
things to me : First, that by their mistake in placing 
their obstacles below the pathway, they were blind as 
to its elevation ; second, that as their arrows fell short, 
they must be far below me, and could do me no harm. 
Accordingly, while I felt gratified that I had done my 
duty, I felt sad that its results were unfavorable. 

As we passed on, it was not uncommon to see per- 
sons sitting in sadness and alone by the way. On 
inquiring the cause, I learned that they were once rich 
and had many friends, but were now poor and friend- 
less. When I attempted to comfort them with the 
assurance that there was a Friend beyond who would 
not desert, and wealth which would not perish, I found 
that only a few would look forward to such things. I 
inquired the reason, when the guide explained that it, 
was the love of this world's wealth which had taken 
possession of them more than the fact of its ownership ; 
and that having loved so long and deeply, their affec- 
tions followed their possessions when they went. He 
said that if it had been only possessions which held 
them, when these were gone, the heart might have 
been easily transferred to something beyond. He con- 
tinued by saying that the love of some for worldly 
goods was so great that they would be strongly at- 
tached to but a few dollars or a few worthless goods. 
Hence it was difficult for those who had lost long -loved 
possessions, to exchange their love for them for some- 
thing better. Happy would they have been, had their 
affections first been fixed upon that world whose opu- 
lence will not fail, and had their friendships first 
been formed with those spiritual beings who will not 
desert. 

When I saw men abandoned by their friends, be- 



24 



THE WAY OF LIFE: 



cause their possessions were gone, I reasoned that the 
moral value of wealth was small if it thus attracted 
men who had no principle. I thought that as the car- 
rion attracts the beasts of prey, so corrupting posses- 
sions were a moral and spiritual prey for mankind. 
As I reflected on my observations in this by-path, I 
brought to mind a multitude of wealthy men, nearly 
all of whom had become dissipated or corrupted in one 
way or another. I remembered that very few of 
them had accumulated wealth for that world to which 
I was going, and very few of them expected to be 
there themselves. I saw plainly that the love and ac- 
cumulation of wealth in this world did not harmonize 
well with the love and accumulation of possessions in 
the next world. This was at least the practical differ- 
ence which men made. 

We now came to the end of Wealth By-Path. I 
had supposed that this end would be filled with opu- 
lence, splendor, and power. I had presumed that the 
worldly results of wealth would here be consummated 
in magnificence and display. Not so. I found that it 
had corrupted and overleaped itself, and fallen to the 
ground. Here many who were once rich, had become 
poor ; many whom wealth had made powerful, had be- 
come weak; many whom it had made famous, had be- 
come obscure; while an equal number who had by 
their means been pursuing pleasure, were now misera- 
ble. 

As we left this by-path, I gave thanks to God that 
I had escaped its temptations and corruptions, and 
prayed that I might increase in the wealth of immor- 
tal glory and of undying souls, and in the joys of a 
world, where possessions should neither perish nor cor- 
rupt, and where friends should not forsake. 

PLEASURE BY-PATH. 

"We now arrived at Pleasure By-Path. Like Wealth 
By-Path, it was at first narrow, and ran parallel with, 
and very near to, the Way of Life, then turned sud- 



AN ALLEGOEY. 



25 



denly and ran far down into the valley. It was very 
deceiving, and only he who was watchful, would no- 
tice the dividing line between this and the main path- 
way. There was a noticeable difference in two re- 
spects between this part of Worldly Valley and that 
into which Wealth By- Path ran. First, the valley in 
Pleasure By- Path was a few feet lower. The guide 
explained that the surface of the valley conformed to 
the moral character of its inhabitants. He said 
wealth naturally brought pleasure, and that therefore 
Wealth By-Path was followed by Pleasure By-Path, 
and that as pleasure was largely the product of 
wealth, the place which it occupied was naturally a 
little farther and lower in the valley. The other dif- 
ference was the increased inequalities in the surface of 
the valley, consisting largely of bluffs and ravines, 
which were in keeping with the varying spirit of the 
inhabitants, who were yesterday on the mountain-top 
of pleasure, and to-day in the valley of gloom. 

When I arrived at this by-path, I prayed fervently 
for assistance to overcome these new temptations; for 
I again realized that I was in the midst of danger. 
All along the way the inhabitants were engaged in the 
pursuit of pleasure, some preferring one kind and 
some another. I noticed that those pleasures they 
considered the least hurtful, they practiced near the 
Way of Life, and were gradually led into others, 
until they were carried far down into the valley. 
Some who professed to be walking in the Way of 
Life, were holding fast to such pleasures as card play- 
ing, dancing, etc., and were endeavoring to drag them 
into the pathway. I observed, however, that most of 
these persons were dragged out of the pathway by 
these pleasures, instea.d of dragging the pleasures into it. 

A curious fact was noticeable at this point; namely, 
the color-blindness of these votaries of pleasure. The 
Way of Life was white, because it was the way 
of holiness. It was also filled with light, because, as 
I have observed before, the rays of the Sun of Right- 
eousness touched it at every point. But the valley 



26 



THE WAY OF LIFE: 



which bordered upon it was of a shady color, and this 
shade increased with the increase of distance from the 
Way of Life, until in the depths of the valley it became 
nearly dark. Some persons who were clinging to 
these pleasures supposed themselves to be in the Way 
of Life, but were really standing outside in the border 
of the valley. In endeavoring to convince them of 
their mistake, I made the discovery that they were 
color-blind, and hence were not able to see the differ- 
ence between the white Way of Life and the shaded 
edge of the valley. This color-blindness, I found, was 
caused by the pursuit of pleasure, which dazzled the 
eyes and slightly blunted their sensibilities. For this 
there seemed to be but one remedy ; namely, that of en- 
tering the Way of Life, when the eyes were with- 
drawn from these dazzling toys, and stimulated with 
the more healthful light from the Sun of Righteous- 
ness. On the other hand, those who did not enter the 
Way of Life, were constantly keeping these and other 
blinding pleasures in sight, and gradually increasing in 
color-blindness. Although they may not have become 
totally color-blind, yet they were so far blinded as to 
produce an indifference in vision, which finally would 
give no pleasure in beholding the things that were bet- 
ter. 

I was much impressed as I beheld the successive 
fruits of different pleasures. Often, on some sunny 
hill-top, I saw men gaily playing at cards. At a 
later period, many of these were seen in some secluded 
nook, playing at the same game and indulging in 
the social glass. Still later, some of these, who had 
by unlucky games lost their possessions, were found in 
the penitentiary of the valley, imprisoned for robbery, 
embezzlement, or murder, which crimes they had com- 
mitted to supply the losses they had suffered by card 
playing. Others who had endeavored to drown their 
losses in the social glass with which card playing 
made them familiar, were found in drunkards' graves. 

I also saw that the fruits of dancing were often per- 
nicious; and frequently, along the way, we saw men 



AN ALLEGOKY. 



27 



and women embrace in the giddy dance on some green 
plat. At a later period, we saw some of these cohabit- 
ing in dark recesses, and at a still later time we saw 
their offspring wandering disgraced along the valley. 
On inquiring of the inhabitants, I ascertained that 
most of the fallen women of the valley had at an 
early period of their lives been much engaged in danc- 
ing, and the guide said their fall was more or less due 
to this practice. 

The guide called my attention to a few mistakes in 
this matter, made by some families in the valley, which 
had proved ruinous to them. One was that of practic- 
ing dancing, card playing, billiard playing, and other 
games connected with gambling, intemperance, and 
other evils at home, for the purpose of avoiding the 
last-named abroad. 

Upon investigation, I saw that as these children 
grew up and left their homes, they naturally sought 
the amusements they had practiced under parental 
guidance. On visiting their homes, some of which 
were situated not far distant from the Way of Life, I 
found that gambling, intemperance, and licentiousness 
were practiced in their most hideous forms. When I 
inquired of them the cause, they candidly replied that 
the amusements which their fathers had taught them, 
were the first steps, and these were the last. They said 
the means which their parents had taught them were 
necessary to avoid these evils, were the very means by 
which they had been induced. But the mistakes, which 
had been taught them in their youth, they did not for- 
sake in their advanced years. 

The guide now desired me to observe the effects of 
teaching a wise and better way. He cited me to sev- 
eral families who had in their youth been taught the 
evil of these amusements, and had also been taught 
not to engage therein. They had been shown these 
evils at a distance, and had been warned of the danger 
of participation. Desiring to investigate the effect of 
this teaching, I visited some of these families, near 
whom we chanced to be passing. I found their lives 



28 



THE WAY OF LIFE: 



and associations to be very different from those who 
had been taught to engage in objectionable amuse- 
ments. Indeed, they suffered very few of the evils 
endured by the last-named class, which to me was a 
convincing argument for the wisdom of the teachings 
they had received concerning these amusements. Such 
was their moral state that I was enabled to persuade a 
Dumber of them to abandon sin altogether, and enter 
the Way of Life. Although I made the same effort to 
persuade those who were familiar with these amuse- 
ments to take the same steps to salvation, I was less 
successful, because they were more fully established in 
pleasure. The guide said that to pious minds who 
chanced to desire them, there were simple pastimes that 
were more satisfactory than were the hurtful recrea- 
tions of the wicked. Playing at bat and ball, rolling 
balls upon the ground in certain games, some simple 
in-door recreations, taking a walk or ride, the beauty 
of a landscape, or the glory of the sky by day and 
night, were more satisfactory to any soul that was 
chiefly pleased with God himself. 

There was another mistake to which the guide called 
my attention. Some of these pleasure-seekers were 
frequently assuming that they were in the Way of Life, 
and were doing church work. The guide desired me 
to test them with my instruments, and thus convince 
them. Accordingly, I drew forth my heavenly com- 
pass, and walked in the paths they were pursuing. 
The hand of the compass pointed a number of degrees 
away from the course of these paths. This greatly sur- 
prised them. I then applied my thermometer to them, 
when to their astonishment it indicated that most of 
them were spiritually freezing. To prove the impor- 
tance of avoiding these allurements, the guide cited me 
to a passage in my "Volume of Life," which read : 
" Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from 
evil." 



AN ALLEGORY 



20 



PLEASURE CITY. 

Our travels now brought us in sight of Pleasure 
City. A more beautiful sight I had rarely seen. Its 
lofty spires and glittering domes and magnificent edi- 
fices, formed an attractive scene. As we entered the 
city, we found it no less imposing. Its streets were 
broad and shaded, and adorned with elegant statuary. 
Fountains of water poured forth from every corner, 
and babbled along the public walks. Beautiful public 
and private parks appeared upon every hand. Shady 
retreats and sequestered nooks afforded protection 
from the sun and from the public gaze. Flowers 
bloomed in great abundance, and their fragrance was 
wafted through every street, while, harmonious strains 
of music often floated out upon the balmy air. The 
city was brilliantly lighted by night, and the streets 
were thronged until past the midnight hour. 

The guide said that this city was the consummation 
of the life of Pleasure By-Path ; that here the life of 
the by-path was largely ripened. He then called my 
attention to the utter hollowness of that life. He 
said that many who had commenced a life of pleasure 
in the by-path, had come here to finish it, bringing 
with them no means and possessing no industry. 
Hence we found it to be neither a commercial nor a 
manufacturing city, but one given wholly to pleasure. 
Its public buildings were magnificent, but they were 
made for the ball, the theater, the opera, the concert. 
Many elegant eating and drinking saloons were seen, 
but they were places of gluttonous excess, intemper- 
ance, and violence. There were also many churches, 
some of which we entered, but found them given over 
to show, and utterly destitute of worship. The choir 
sang in the most artistic manner, yet gave no praise 
to God. The jeweled congregation bowed as if to 
worship, yet worshiped not. The preacher, for the 
sake of his hire, preached, but he did not declare the 
whole counsel of God. Lest he should offend some, he 
said nothing of depravity, repentance, a coming judg- 



30 



THE WAY OF LIFE : 



ment, or eternal punishment. He catered to, rather than 
reproved, their indulgences. While in these churches 
I observed the indications of my thermometer, and 
found the congregations to be spiritually freezing, 
some of them actually below zero, — a degree which 
indicated a hopeless state. 

We next visited the public library. The books 
were numerous and handsomely bound, but their con- 
tents were well suited to foster the spirit of pleasure 
and frivolity peculiar to their readers. Very few 
of them were designed to improve the heart or en- 
lighten the understanding. They were in the main 
fictitious reading, containing few of those solid works 
on theology, morality, history, poetry, politics, and 
science, so well calculated to bring men into more in- 
timate communion with God, and into better rela- 
tions with men and things. 

We next visited their works of art. Their galleries 
of painting portrayed but little of what is beautiful 
in nature or of historic interest. Their statuary ex- 
hibited but few of the good, the wise, the great. The 
audacious, the impure, and the criminal were its sub- 
jects. In all places of amusement were portrayed dis- 
tortion and excess. The city abounded in dance 
houses, which were nightly filled. As a result, houses 
of ill -repute were abundant. 

One thing was particularly observable ; % namely, that 
the inhabitants of the city were in a constant state of 
uneasiness. Although the city was great, and its 
places of resort were many, it could not afford its citi- 
zens an enduring satisfaction or a holy joy. They 
filled the streets in pursuit of something pleasing ; but 
when found, its effects were of short duration. They 
wandered from statue to statue, from theater to theater, 
from opera to opera, and even to worse places; } 7 et 
were left forever craving. 

During my brief stay in the city, my thermometer 
was constantly below freezing, and frequently below 
zero, while my compass never coincided with the loca- 
tion. Institutions of education and benevolence were 



AN ALLEGORY. 



31 



by no means common, although the town was large 
and wealthy. Indeed, so absorbing was the desire for 
pleasure that their few educational institutions were 
poorly patronized, while their institutions of benevo- 
lence were filled with those who had wasted their sub- 
stance in riotous living. 

The guide explained that the love of pleasure in the 
minds of the inhabitants was so strong as to exceed all 
else, — that all consciousness of duty and benevolence 
sank beneath it. He said that pleasure acted upon the 
powers of the mind as a whirlpool does upon the wa- 
ters, carrying down all within it. He then referred 
me to a verse of warning concerning these things in 
the " Volume of Life," which read as follows: "Rejoice, 
O young man, in thy youth ; and let thy heart cheer 
thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways 
of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes; but 
know thou, that for all these things God will bring 
thee into judgment." 

PLEASURE RIVER. 

It was on the borders of Pleasure River that the 
city was built. In the vicinity of the city it was a 
broad, beautiful river, whose gentle waters flowed 
sweetly onward as if to waft you to more pleasing 
scenes. There were no ships of commerce there, be- 
cause all was for gratification. But the river was 
covered with innumerable crafts of pleasure, of various 
forms and colors. I noticed that there was a disposi- 
tion among the occupants of the boats to follow their 
natural tendency, and go down the stream. Many 
would go down a distance and then return ; then go 
down a greater distance, and return; and thus con- 
tinue until they went down so far as to return no 
more. I asked the cause of this, when the guide 
pointed me far down the river. There I discovered 
the cause. The river, which was straight at the city, 
turned suddenly at a distance below it; and though 



32 



THE WAY OF LIFE : 



it was broad and smooth at the city, it became narrow 
and turbulent when it reached the turn. 

" Such," said the guide, "is the character of pleas- 
ure. It is broad and smooth at first, but it always 
turns, and then becomes narrow and turbulent." 

A curious fact now met my gaze. I noticed there 
were divisions in the waters of the river, as they 
flowed down from the city, as if several streams had 
imperfectly united. I observed that the different 
classes of pleasure boats followed these different divis- 
ions in the river. Those boats on which were in- 
scribed the name "Intemperance" followed one; those 
marked "Impurity," another; and thus with each 
class of boats, according to the character of their occu- 
pants. But in looking down the river, I discovered 
that these divisions in the water gradually approached 
one another, until at the turn of the river they were 
completely united in one. 

" This," said the guide, "is like the rivers of sin — 
such is their nature that they tend finally to unite." 

A number of pretty ripples appeared in the smoother 
part of the river, caused by the points of underlying 
rocks. These points often cut passing boats, causing 
leakages which sometimes sank them. But, did they 
escape these, they generally went down on the rocks 
and rapids at the turn of the stream. Below this 
turn, however, there was a tremendous fall, where the 
whole river went down with an awful plunge, and 
where all who had previously escaped must perish. 

Near this fall, and facing the river, where all could 
see it, there was a large sign of warning, bearing the 
inscription: "Destruction — Temporal and Eternal." 
Some had tried to efface this, but the cry of the 
drowning and the roar of the cataract made the truth 
too apparent for it to be effaced. Notwithstanding, 
there were persons who continually asserted that there 
was no danger. I saw that these went down the 
stream to return no more; so that they who were pos- 
itive in their error were equally sure, with the others, 
of destruction. 



AN ALLEGORY. 



I observed that the water of the river at the city 
was sweet, though a slightly bitter taste was noticed 
some time after drinking. As one proceeded down the 
stream, this taste in the water was gradually reversed, 
until at the fall the sweetness disappeared, and the 
water became intensely bitter. 

A large proportion of the city went to destruction 
on this river. Pleasure made them so reckless that 
they did not care for its dangers. Moreover, their 
danger was increased by the singular fact that, when 
they desired to return, after gliding down the stream, 
they would not perform the labor of rowing back, but 
would wait for favoring breezes, which should be 
stronger than the current, and waft them over the 
tide of waters to the city. 

Those who first entered Pleasure City, did not 
immediately go on the water of the river ; but, go- 
ing from pleasure to pleasure until practiced in dar- 
ing, they finally ventured to try the water. Indeed, 
what was a fear to these inhabitants at first, was a 
pleasure at last. The river was the consummation of 
the life of the city. On its waters and along its banks 
were found the votaries of pleasure, pursuing their vo- 
cation by night and by day. 

To Pleasure River there were two tributaries, — one 
above the city, the smaller and slower, called Inception 
Tributary, where timid persons, who, though they had 
been schooled in every pleasure and vice, yet feared 
the main river, could be first introduced to the waters; 
the other below the city, the larger and swifter, called 
Consummation Tributary, where those timid persons 
who were not sufficiently schooled at the first tribu- 
tary, were made so familiar with the rolling waters as 
to warrant their entering Pleasure River. There was 
a strong disposition on the part of the people to have 
each person engage in every pleasure, no matter how 
vile or dangerous, and thus the timid were made 
ready for Pleasure River. 

Such, then, did I find to be the results of pleasure in 
the by-path, the city, and the river. Nature seemed 



34 



THE WAY OF LIFE: 



to conform to the moral character of the inhabitants, 
and thus a double lesson was taught of the evils 
of pleasure-seeking. The pathway I was pursuing 
lay near these pleasure-seeking people, and I en- 
deavored in every way to warn them of the dangers 
of their pursuit, and to persuade them to seek safety 
in the Way of Life. I succeeded in turning a few 
from their dangers, for which I was truly thankful, 
knowing that I had delivered them from' the endless 
pain which follows pleasure. I discovered, however, 
that most of those who were filled with the pleasures 
of the by-path and city, cared little for the pleasures 
of another world. The " Volume of Life " called them 
traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more 
than lovers of God. 

The Way of Life ran in sight of Pleasure City, but 
directly over Pleasure River. It had not, however, 
foundations resting in the quicksands of that great 
stream, but was supported from end to end by those 
divine and omnipotent forces which everywhere sus- 
tained it. As I have said before, the Way of Life was 
a gradually ascending path, so that the pilgrim was 
always rising as he journeyed through Worldly Val- 
ley. By the time, therefore, it reached this river, it 
was several feet above it, so that the pilgrim, if he 
kept the pathway and reached in safety the bridge 
which spanned the stream, was above its contaminat- 
ing waters. He was not, however, too high to hear 
the sneers and jeers and taunts that came up to him 
from the impure, the drunken, the depraved, the dis- 
honest, the criminal, who hurled at him their curses, 
scoffed at his faith, laughed at his piety, sneered at his 
holiness of life, and even questioned the existence of 
the Being whom he fondly served. But all these he 
received calmly, and in love warned these persons of 
their impending danger, of the certain destruction to 
all who passed below certain limits down the river, 
and endeavored to persuade them to take the better 
way. 

As I reached the end of this bridge, I fell upon my 



AN ALLEGORY. 



35 



knees, and in profound gratitude thanked God that I 
had by his grace escaped the unnumbered temptations of 
Pleasure By-Path. The Way of Life was in Worldly 
Valley, but not of it. The valley rolled its temp- 
tations against, but not over it, as the ocean rolls 
and dashes its waters against the shore. It was there- 
fore almost impossible for the passing pilgrims al- 
together to avoid these temptations. Such, how- 
ever, was the constitution of the Way of Life that 
the pilgrims could overcome all temptation. More- 
over, the Sun of Righteousness was constantly rising 
in the heavens, and giving increased light to all trav- 
elers. But a peculiarity of this Sun may be men- 
tioned. It did not rise, as does our natural sun, by 
the revolutions of the earth, but came up gradually 
with the progress of the pilgrims toward it. Indeed, 
it eventually receded to those who were standing still, 
and only became brighter and higher to those who 
were approaching it. 

Although my devotions were fervent before, I re- 
solved, after passing this by-path in safety, that they, 
together with my labors, should be increased. Indeed, 
this resolution was formed with but little effort; for it 
was the spontaneous outgrowth of gratitude for de- 
liverance from Pleasure By-Path. 

POPULARITY BY-PATE. 

On the opposite side of the river from the city was 
Popularity By-Path. Like all the other by-paths, it 
ran along on either side of the Way of Life. It was 
called Popularity By-Path because its inhabitants were 
seekers after popularity. It was the natural product 
of Wealth and Pleasure By-Paths, and therefore was 
a little lower, and farther on in Worldly Valley. In- 
deed, many of its inhabitants had passed through these 
former by-paths, and as a natural result had come to this 
one. The physical features of this by-path, like other 
by-paths, were in conformity to the spirit of its inhab- 
itants. 



86 



THE WAY OF LIFE: 



One peculiarity, however, of these features may be 
mentioned, namely, their instability. What was a 
mountain one day might be a plain the next. What 
was a valley at one time might be a mountain at an- 
other. That which was a thundering cataract to-day 
might be a trickling stream to-morrow. A river that 
ran in one direction at one season might run in an op- 
posite direction at another. A change of the wind 
would bring a change in mountain torrent and river. 

Such also was the character of the inhabitants. A 
change of the popular mind would bring a change to 
their religious, social, and political ways. Indeed, the 
weather-cock that would indicate the direction of the 
wind in the by-path, would be equally changeable, did 
it indicate the spirit of its inhabitants. The question 
which they ever asked was not, " What is right? " but, 
"What is popular?" And when the tide set in any 
direction, its magnitude, and not its object, was its 
power. 

As we passed along, we came in sight of a dilapi- 
dated church, where were gathered many people. It 
was a church where a false doctrine had been preached, 
and had not been well patronized ; but a new preacher, 
whose teaching was still more false and corrupt, had 
appeared on the scene, having more eloquence, and en- 
couraging more of popular and worldly life. A few 
kindred spirits were first drawn to him. After this, 
others, thinking it popular to attend this church, went 
to it, until large numbers gathered, and heard this false 
doctrine. As we passed through the neighborhood, we 
observed the effects of this teaching. Profanity was 
prevalent, licentiousness was not uncommon. Truth- 
fulness was regarded as but little above falsehood, 
while human accountability was but lightly held. 

" Such," said the guide, " are the indirect results of 
following popularity rather than principle." He con- 
tinued, " The tide may turn in a little time to another 
and better church, but the seeds of error are already 
sown, and in the interest of that which is popular, and 
will bring forth evil fruits in another world." 



AN ALLEGORY. 



37 



As we came in contact with these persons on our 
way, we endeavored to persuade them to abandon 
their false, locally popular doctrines and improper 
lives, but the seeds of error had borne fruit too long, 
and but few of them could be induced to turn to the 
better way. Moreover, they were greatly attached to 
any side which was strong in numbers, regardless of 
consequences ; and seeing but few in the Way of Life, 
they looked upon it with detestation, though they 
knew it finally led to a better land. They preferred 
the popular but inglorious, to the unpopular but glori- 
ous end. 

THE THREE MONUMENTS. 

We next came in sight of an elevated place called 
the Three Monuments. It was so called because the 
people of the by-path had erected thereon three monu- 
ments to the memory of three eminent men. These 
monuments were grand structures, hundreds of feet 
in hight, and about one eighth of a mile apart. The 
first was called Preferment Monument; the second, 
Fame Monument; the third, Power Monument. As 
we arrived in sight of them, I said to the guide, 
'''These splendid works must be erected to some most 
worthy persons." But he replied otherwise. He said 
that as the people of the valley were lovers of popular- 
ity, they erected them to their popular standing, and 
not to their moral worth. 

Preferment Monument was built in honor of a man 
whose name was Preferment. On the summit of the 
monument was his statue. He was a man of medium 
hight, and dark, swarthy complexion. He had a low 
forehead, and his eyes showed a watchful, cunning 
spirit. His left hand held a small parcel of documents, 
and his right hand was open and extended forward, 
as if grasping for something. He was a political 
demagogue, who sought local preferment and social ad- 
vancement. The political principles which he advo- 
cated were dangerous, while his social influence was 

4 



38 



THE WAY OF LIFE: 



corrupting; for he was a seducer. But as the people 
of the by-path cared for men of popularity and not of 
principle, they gave him political preferment and so- 
cial advancement. The consequences upon that part of 
the by-path that favored him were most disastrous. 
His petty political measures were of the most selfish 
character. He dispensed honor and money to a few 
friends, and to an exclusive faction. He favored 
every immoral and hurtful scheme that would increase 
the public treasury. In the interest of popularity he 
encouraged intemperance, and fostered the most ob- 
scene literature. In a word, he was a moral millstone 
in the community. He hung as a dead weight upon all 
that was good. But he was popular, and this atoned 
to these poor fire-flies of the by-path for all his 
wrongs. Because he was popular, his impurity 
made impurity popular, his dishonesty made dis- 
honesty popular, his political, moral, and social wrongs 
made these popular. " Such," said the guide, "are the 
effects of following popularity rather than principle." 
He continued as follows: — 

" The people have so long followed after the public 
caprice that this man's wrong-doing renders him more 
popular. Such is the nature of sin that it is always 
more contagious than righteousness. A sinful breath 
may create a whirlwind, and a sinful whirlwind may 
stir a world. Hence to seek that which is intensely 
popular is often to seek that which is wrong. Right- 
eousness is modest, and often slow and unnoticed; sin 
is often bold, swift, and obtrusive. By observing the 
people of this by-path, we can study the results of this 
great error. They loved this man because he was 
popular; and because of this very popularity, he in 
turn has cursed them. The very element in him 
which pleased them, held the seeds which wrought 
their ruin. Though hidden at first, it finally appeared 
to their sorrow." 

He then bade me inspect the rear of Prefer- 
ment Monument. Here a most astounding revelation 
was made to me. Elsewhere, this man was only seen 



AN ALLEGOKY 



39 



in the glitter of his outward appearance, but here his 
true life appeared. At this place were a number of 
graves filled by persons whom his evi] life had killed. 
Among them were several females, on whose tombstone 
was the following inscription: "Innocence. Killed 
by the popularity of the deceiving Preferment." On 
the tombstone of a man who had had much confi- 
dence in this personage, was the epitaph: " Credu- 
lous. Financially crushed by the dishonesty of Pre- 
ferment." On the stone of another was this: "Intem- 
perance. Destroyed by the example of the drinking 
Preferment." Another epitaph ran thus: "Skeptic. 
Died in darkness, having followed the unbelief of Pre- 
ferment." Another was this: "Depravity. Died in 
fear, having lived as Preferment lived." The pillar 
was a monument to his popularity, but these tomb- 
stones were monuments to the wrongs which that 
popularity had encouraged. 

On the back of the monument some passing sage 
from the by-path had inscribed these words in a dead 
language: "Preferred — but a! the expense of those 
who were better. Honored — but honored in wrong." 
I asked the guide why this was written in a dead lan- 
guage. He replied, " Because this man has been so in- 
tensely popular that had the people understood the 
meaning of the -inscription, they would have erased it 
in a rage; but they supposed it to be some words of 
commendation." He continued as follows: " Should 
these words now be written in the language of the 
people, they would not be disturbed ; for this man's 
popularity is waning. Extremes in the popular tide are 
often not far distant, so that he who is very popular 
to-day may be quite unpopular to-morrow. Moreover, 
the very elements that made this man popular at one 
time are beginning to render him unpopular now. 
The polished sins that helped to give him prominence 
in life, are now bringing forth their ghastly fruits. 
The generation in which they were sown did not 
see them, but praised their author. The gener- 
ation in which they are developing is beginning 



40 



THE WAY OF LIFE: 



to feel them, and is rising up to condemn him. 
The life which rendered this man so popular with the 
fathers of this generation as to cause them to erect a 
monument to his memory, may yet make him so un- 
popular with their children as to cause them to tear 
down that which their fathers built. The conditions 
that make men popular with men are like the unstable 
sea; but the conditions which make men popular with 
God and the angelic throngs will render their popu- 
larity eternal." 

Fame Monument was erected in honor of a man 
whose name was Fame. It was soiftewhat higher and 
finer than the one just mentioned, because Fame was a 
man of more genius and celebrity. The monument was 
surmounted by his statue. He was physically a more 
powerful man, and had a higher and broader forehead 
than Preferment. In his left hand he held a 
pen, partially in the attitude of writing. In his 
left hand he held a scroll, while at his feet sev- 
eral large volumes were piled. His face indi- 
cated genius, but it also suggested ambition and 
deception. Fame was a man who aspired to great- 
ness. By his pen he sought distinction at home 
and abroad. The love of popularity became so strong 
in his mind that to attain it he would sacrifice any 
principle and advocate any wrong. 

But as the people of the by-path cared only for the 
popular, they were not only willing, but anxious, to 
render him honor, that he in turn might honor them. 
Accordingly, what he wrote was read and what he ad- 
vocated was accepted. His writings were tinctured 
with infidelity, and the age in which he lived became 
infidel. They were also infected with sensualism, and 
the age became sensual. He was famous as a writer, 
both in prose and verse; and that which was not 
pleasing in one form of writing he made acceptable in 
the other form. In verse he varnished vice and cru- 
elty, and in prose he aided political error and mis- 
rule. The consciousness that he was popular made 
him bold; while the fact that the people were deter- 



AN ALLEGORY. 



41 



mined to sustain him, because of his popularity, made 
him cruel. Hence he did not hesitate to assail the 
sanctity of any principle, or crush the well-being of 
any man. Indeed, his popularity gave such power to 
his pen that he made men laugh at the religious faith 
which for years had sustained them, even under the 
most trying circumstances of life; while he also made 
them scoff at that Redeemer whose blood had purchased 
them. 

Fame had great talents, and this fact greatly in- 
creased his popularity. The love of the popular 
caused the people to honor his talents and forget his 
principles. Their youth looked upon him almost as a 
god. They read his writings, which secretly sapped 
their religious faith and undermined their moral char- 
acter. They followed his social teachings, which, 
though outwardly they looked plausible, resulted in do- 
mestic ruin or social estrangements. He favored love; 
but love was made so unstable as to become a freak 
and not a principle. He favored domestic happiness; 
but domestic happiness was made so broad that it mat- 
tered little from how many wives it came. He advo- 
cated peace; but it was a peace that tolerated sin and 
wrong. He advocated justice; but it was a justice 
that savored of cruelty. He encouraged mercy ; but 
it was the mercy that is extended to license. Because 
he possessed talents and popularity, these things were 
read and accepted, and in time brought forth their 
dire fruits. 

Back of Fame's stately monument, reared by the 
people, were deformed monuments reared by himself, 
which should have been the test of his right to popu- 
larity. Here were many graves filled by those whom 
he had directly or indirectly killed or injured. On the 
tombstone of one of these was this epitaph: " Infidel. 
Died hopeless." On another was this: "Vanity. 
Made vain by the popular vanities of Fame." An- 
other had these words: "Principle. Inflexible, but 
killed by the cruelty of the unprincipled Fame." An- 
other read thus: "Impurity. Destroyed by the writ- 



42 



THE WAY OF LIFE: 



ings of the popular Fame." Another bore this inscrip- 
tion: " Ambition. Led by the writings of Fame, but 
ruined by his vice." 

On the back of Fame's monument the sage previ- 
ously mentioned had written as follows: " Famous — but 
with the inhabitants of this world only. Applauded — 
but only by the inhabitants of this by-path." This 
also was written in a dead language, because when in- 
scribed, the popularity of Fame was great, and had 
the writing been understood, the people in their indig- 
nation would have erased it. But the popularity of 
Fame, like that of Preferment, was beginning to de- 
cline ; for the fruits of his evil works were beginning 
to be plainly felt, and the people would now have 
borne with any unfavorable words upon his monu- 
ment. Indeed, so evil was the influence of his writ- 
ings, that the people began to talk of taking the monu- 
ment down; for the more apparent the evil of his 
works became the more offensive became his monu- 
ment. The guide said that such was the character of 
Fame, and so unstable the spirit of those who love 
popularity, that Fame might yet become as unpopular 
as he had been popular; and that if he had lived some 
years longer, the people who had erected a monument 
to his memory would have been ready to expel him 
from their midst. But he said the discovery of, their 
mistake was too late ; that the seeds of vice, which had 
taken root and grown so long, had already filled the 
by-path too full to be uprooted by the removal of this 
monument. 

He then discoursed considerably on the evils of fol- 
lowing after the popular, saying the results were often 
disastrous, as with the followers of Fame, and con- 
cluded by citing me to a passage in my " Volume of 
Life," which read: "Seek ye first the kingdom God 
and his righteousness." 

Power Monument was erected to the memory of a 
man whose name was Power. It was a fine structure, 
and on the top of it was a statue of Power. Power 
was a strongly built man, of medium hight. He pos- 



AN ALLEGOKY. 



43 



sessed a large head and a prominent nose. In his 
right hand he held a scepter, and in his left hand a 
partially unsheathed sword, while one of his feet 
rested upon the neck of a conquered enemy. Power 
was a lover of popularity, but it was the popularity of 
authority and of the sword, — in a word, the popularity 
which savors of awe. Power was a man of no prin- 
ciple, but he possessed great military genius; and as 
the people of the by-path were followers of the popu- 
lar, they were willing to render him honor. The re- 
sults of this popularity were most disastrous to them. 
Power sought supremacy, and took advantage of this 
popularity to place himself at the head of these people. 
He scrupled not to use the most cruel and deceptive 
means to attain this end. 

The evil of catering to popularity was never more 
clearly seen. The people were off their guard, caring 
for nothing but giving and receiving praise. Power 
cunningly flattered them, thereby fixing himself more 
deeply in their graces. Finally they made him the 
head of their army. Such was his ambition that he 
persuaded the people to wage war against the sur- 
rounding countries, and such was the love of the peo- 
ple for his celebrity that they were willing to comply. 
Accordingly, he carried bloodshed to those who had 
long dwelt in peace, and plundered those who had 
lived in security. His causeless wars were virtually 
so much murder, and his spoils were robbery. Indeed, 
the people, by his influence, became but little less than 
highway robbers, and that on a national scale. Such 
was this man's popularity that they adhered to him 
in their blind love, until he transformed them from 
men to demons, — from the virtues of peace to the vices 
of war, — from the glory of internal development to 
..the decay so often attendant upon conquest. 

When Power returned from his foreign conquests, 
instead of resigning his sword, he assumed the dictator- 
ship of the people. The poor man-worshipers were 
easy victims to this unlawful usurpation. Power had 
created a popular current in his favor, and by chang- 



44 



THE WAY OF LIFE: 



ing that current to a more personal nature, they were 
almost willing to make him a king. 

Again the evil of this blind following, they were 
made to feel deeply. When Power came into full con- 
trol of their government, he became a tyrant. In 
their boundless admiration for him, the people had 
given him unlimited power, and in that unlimited 
power he had become an unlimited despot. They gave 
him wealth, but he used the wealth in an extravagant 
and aristocratic outlay, which increased the social dis- 
tance between him and the people. They gave him 
social opportunities, but he used them to selfish and 
lustful ends. And this was not all. The people had 
so run after Power that he was made to suppose that 
they were his possessions, and that he could use them 
according to his pleasure. This was the natural result 
of catering to something besides moral worth. Ac- 
cordingly, the people were no longer citizens, honoring 
Power, but subjects controlled by his will; no longer 
hired servants, but obedient slaves. He forced them 
into his army, and drove them into battle, where death 
was certain. He sentenced them to imprisonment for 
the most trifling accusation ; and on a mere suspicion 
of disloyalty to his authority, banished them to for- 
eign lands. He took justice into his own hands, while 
he knew little of mercy. Instead of honoring those 
who had honored him, he seemed to regard them as on 
a level with the dogs which served him in the chase. 

In the rear of Power's monument were to be seen 
some of the fruits of his works. There was a multi- 
tude of graves of persons whose death he had caused. 
Many bore the epitaph : " Disciple of the popular 
Power ; killed in his wars." Others ran thus: "Fol- 
lowers. We honored him as citizens, but he made 
us slaves." Some read thus: "We once worshiped at 
his shrine ; but when we opposed his usurpations, he 
banished us to perish in inhospitable lands." Another 
ran: "Friendship. I befriended him before he rose, 
but he crushed me afterward." 

The sage who had written on the other monuments 



AN ALLEGORY. 



45 



had inscribed these words on this: " Powerful — but by 
usurpation. Exalted — but by the blood of thousands. " 
This was also written in a language not generally un- 
derstood, for fear of erasure. But the time had come 
when the danger of such a thiDg was past ; for Power 
was no longer popular. His causeless wars were no 
longer approved. The vainglory which they brought 
belonged to Power, but the suffering they cost be- 
longed to the people. He drained the by-path of 
blood and treasure ; but he overcame no great wrong ; 
he wrought no great reform. The treasure was spent, 
and the blood was shed, for Power alone. 

Concerning these things the guide said: " The evils 
that come from following after popularity always fix 
themselves before the individual becomes unpopular. 
It is now too late for the people to repent having 
worshiped Power. His work is done, and his evil is 
accomplished. The treasure that he spent cannot be 
regained, and the lives he sacrificed cannot be restored. 
But had these people traveled the Way of Life with 
equal zeal, they would at last have reached a land 
where all they have spent would bring them a greater 
wealth, and where their shed blood would insure them 
a bright crown, and their labors an enduring ap- 
plause." 

THE REVERSED RIVER. 

As we traveled on, we came to a remarkable phe- 
nomenon, a reversed river. The river ran in the same 
bed, but in an opposite direction from the way it for- 
merly ran. Hence it was called Reversed River. The 
stream was broad, deep, and rapid, and such a change 
seemed impossible. I appealed to the guide to know 
the cause of this great reverse. He said in reply that 
the natural conditions of this by-path conformed to 
the moral state of its inhabitants, and that these con- 
ditions were equally changeable. The wind had long 
blown with the tide of the river, when it suddenly 
changed to an opposite direction. Although there was 



46 



THE WAY OF LIFE: 



no apparent cause for the change, it was sufficient to 
reverse the course of the river. This was pleasing to 
the people of the by-path. A new, though false, re- 
ligion had sprung up along the upper part of the river, 
and they desired a change in the course in order that 
the current might carry them where they could hear 
the doctrines of the new faith, which, though false, 
were now becoming popular. There were also other 
attractions at that part of the river, which were be- 
coming popular, and though pernicious, the inhabit- 
ants desired to engage in them. Certain lottery spec- 
ulations were engaged in, which many thought might 
bring them fortune. There were also business and 
amusement interests of an improper character. But 
the fact that these things were generally sought was 
sufficient to justify them in the eyes of these people. 
Accordingly, they were anxious that the tide of winds, 
and waters, and public opinion should all set in their 
favor. 

The appearance of the river at the time of the 
change was remarkable. Its rapid current seemed 
only a little less rapid at first, then it grew slower and 
slower until it stopped. For some time it seemed to 
stand motionless, as if halting between two opinions; 
namely, of a fickle people or a more proper way. 
Then a slight retrograde motion was seen, and finally 
the great stream began to rush backward. The com- 
merce and the inhabitants now both traveled to the 
popular resorts of the river. The new religion was 
heard, and because of the popular tide, was tempora- 
rily accepted. In their zeal for the new faith, the peo- 
ple embraced it so fully that its fruits were soon seen, 
and were of the most disastrous character. It was a 
faith that gave great license to human action. Ac- 
cordingly, many evils flourished with its sanction. 
Gambling sprang up, and was extensively practiced; 
hence many who had resorted there lost all their pos- 
sessions at the gambling table. Some who had 
thought to make themselves rich by the change in the 
river had thus made themselves poor. Billiard play- 



AN ALLEGOKY. 



47 



ing was considered a charming game, but by its 
charms many a fortune was lost. Many persisted in 
it because it was popular, but this fact rendered more 
certain their financial ruin. At first, they saw the en- 
joyment of following the way of the multitude, but 
at last they realized the misfortunes which following 
the perverse ways of the world is sure to bring. Bill- 
iards had become popular at these places on the river, 
and thus the inhabitants of these places were morally 
corrupted, so that they only liked the things which 
were likewise popularly corrupt. The inhabitants of 
the river ought to have foreseen this, and avoided the 
dangers of these resorts; but their eyes were closed by 
a passion to cater to the ways of the masses. 

There were, moreover, large sums made by horse- 
racing at these resorts, and much general interest 
manifested in fast horses. Horse-racing was increas- 
ing in popularity, and financial and amusement inter- 
ests were increasing with it. Accordingly, the people 
justified themselves in participating in these races, on 
the grounds that so many were engaging in them. 
But this justification could not exempt them from the 
moral and financial disaster that followed. The reckless 
sport encouraged them in reckless living, and their 
reckless lives brought them to a reckless death. 
The fastness in the horse begot a fastness in the man, 
so that if he gained by speed, his gains were spent in 
other ways. The moral degradation which accompa- 
nied racing, opened avenues of expenditure sufficient 
to exhaust all its profits. These people were lovers of 
popular applause, and this applause only increased 
every wrong and deepened every evil. Nothing was 
so encouraging at these races as the huzzas of the mul- 
titude; and this so stimulated the parties engaged that 
they would not desist until their full length in vice 
was run. 

Strong drinks were manufactured at these resorts, 
and the inhabitants of the surrounding country desired 
a change in the course of the river, to enable them to 



48 



THE WAY OF LIFE: 



send their products to these places, that they might be 
manufactured into intoxicating beverages; for it was 
becoming fashionable to drink. But when these bev- 
erages were made, a curse came back to them. Many 
of them manufactured for themselves, and this famil- 
iarity with their own alcoholic products, brought them 
to inebriates' graves. They manufactured, but they 
also drank ; they accumulated, but in their intemper- 
ance they spent; they had pleasure, but their pleasure 
was their destruction. This was another evidence 
that the popular desire for a change in the course of 
the river was a mistake, and that when its course did 
change, it brought no benefit, though human tides set 
in that direction. Popularity By-Path brought no 
spiritual or moral blessings, but rather stifled them. 

I endeavored to persuade all I met to enter the 
Way of Life, but the popular currents were so strong 
that my success was small. The tendencies were so 
strongly human that divine interposition was difficult, 
— so decidedly earthly that heavenly powers were ex- 
cluded. Moreover, in traveling the Way of Life, I 
saw that the people were averse to it, because it was 
unpopular. True, it was natural that those who were 
seeking popularity should dislike the unpopular. But 
some who professed to be pilgrims were ashamed to be 
seen therein. These I cited to a passage in my " Vol- 
ume of Life," that read: "Whosoever therefore shall 
be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous 
and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of 
man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his 
Father with the holy angels." 

As we neared the end of this by-path, the guide 
spoke briefly as follows: "The love of applause is 
natural to man. If it be rightly used, it will aid him 
in righteousness; if wrongly used, it will encourage 
him in sin, as is the case in this by-path. If men will 
love the applause of God and the angelic hosts, if they 
will love the praise of good men for just acts, they will 
then use this passion of the human mind to the end for 
which it was created, and by it be encouraged in holi- 



AN ALLEGORY. 



49 



ness of life. This passion is a powerful stimulus, and 
every pilgrim should bring it to his aid. In this 
lonely and unpopular Way of Life, he should endeavor 
faithfully to win the praise of God and of angels. In 
short, he should endeavor to be popular with the bet- 
ter world, and then his unpopularity in this Way of 
Life will not matter. Indeed, the very fact that he is 
not appreciated here will increase his desire for a better 
appreciation hereafter. I say, then, to you, my Pil- 
grim, care not for the indifference, for the neglect, for the 
scorn, with which you have been treated by the people 
of this by-path as you have passed along your way. 
Remember that at the end of this journey, you will be 
received by those with whom your popularity shall be 
great. Human popularity soon wanes, but there 
yours shall increase forever." 

We now passed the bounds of Popularity By-Path, 
and I knelt down and thanked God that by his grace 
and favor, I had been enabled to serve him so faith- 
fully, and to resist temptations so successfully during 
my passage. I had been subject to many temptations 
during this passage, and my gratitude for aid in over- 
coming them was proportionately great. I had been 
urged to abandon my isolated way, and choose a more 
popular course. Intimations of higher social oppor- 
tunities were made, and it was also strongly urged 
that great financial gains would follow certain courses 
which the world had marked out. But these things I 
would not heed, and answered that they were only 
vanities sought by worms of the dust. 

I was a constant reader of my " Volume of Life," 
from which I derived great strength and comfort. 
Two passages especially strengthened me against the 
temptations of this by-path. One of these read: 
" Because, strait is the gate and narrow is the way 
which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." 
By this I understood that few would so live as to reach 
heaven ; and that if I reached that better world, my 
life must be better than the great majority of man- 
kind, or even of professed Christians. This justified 



50 



THE WAY OF LIFE: 



my living above the world. The other passage read : 
" Eye hath not see, nor ear heard, neither have entered 
into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared 
for them that love him." By this I understood heaven 
to be an unspeakably glorious place, and well worth 
all my sacrifice. Indeed, a single plaudit of God and 
the angels would be far better than the popular ap- 
plause of all the inhabitants of the earth for a lifetime. 
Thus, knowing our situation we journeyed on, having 
but little human companionship to aid us, but con 
stantly holding communion and companionship with 
God, which strengthened us when men would weaken, 
which cheered us when men would be despondent, and 
which gave us success when men would fail. 

As the natural features of the by-paths corre- 
sponded with the character of their inhabitants, so the 
Way of Life corresponded with the will of God. 
Hence it was made straight, so that the way-faring 
man, though a fool, could not err therein. But, 
though it was straight, it was in places severe and dif- 
ficult. Although the Way of Life never reached 
down to Worldly Valley, yet there were some deep 
depressions in it, the tendency of which was to cause 
gloom ; and there were also mountains over which I 
had to climb, whose tendency was to cause fear. But 
I noticed that in descending these mountains I did 
not go down so far as I had ascended on the opposite 
side, hence I gained somewhat in elevation. I ob- 
served, too, that as I ascended from the depressions 
just mentioned, I rose higher in the pathway than I 
was when on the opposite side. Yet I often climbed 
over great rocks, and encountered sharp stones, that 
cut my shoes, and caused my feet to bleed. Projecting 
thorns frequently rent my clothes and tore my flesh. 
Even wild beasts laid in wait for me and other pil- 
grims, some of the animals having their lairs near the 
Way of Life. Deadly serpents sometimes lay coiled j ust 
outside the pathway. Highway robbers occasionally 
appeared to prey upon the weary travelers. 

Against all these there were but two means of de- 



AN ALLEGORY. 



51 



fense — for the pilgrims carried no arms. The first 
was to keep closely in the Way of Life ; the other was 
to follow strictly the directions laid down in the " Vol- 
ume of Life." 

As I traveled on, the Sun of Righteousness was con- 
stantly rising in the heavens, giving increasing light 
to my pathway, and making his glorious face more 
and more attractive, enlightening me, and assisting to 
charm me from every vale into which I went, and 
over every rugged mountain that I climbed. But he 
was not so much seen outside of the pathway, nor 
were his benefits so strongly felt. If the stones cut 
my feet, it only caused me to persevere to reach the 
end of my journey. When my flesh was pierced by 
thorns, I had the assurance that the wounds would be 
made whole at the resurrection, and I longed the more 
for that event to come. The wild beasts and serpents 
that laid in wait for me as enemies, could hurt me for 
a time; but if I kept in the Way of Life, their inju- 
ries would soon be healed. The highway robbers could 
take from me my few worldly goods, but that would 
only increase my desire for the wealth of a better 
world. 

Outside of my pathway, the effects of these obstacles 
were reversed, so that instead of helping man to a bet- 
ter world they helped to carry him down to one that 
was worse. Thus I saw that the way God had marked 
out was the only way in which good and ill would aid 
me in my pr gress, and make more certain my glori- 
ous destination. This I learned by experience, and 
also from my "Volume of Life," which said: "All 
things work together for good to them that love God." 
O, the wonder of this Way of Life, which made my 
unpopularity popular, which turned my loneliness to 
companionship, my dangers to safety, my sorrows to 
joys ! 

LIBERAL BY-PATH. 

In the course of our journey we came to Liberal 
By-Path. Unlike some of the other by-paths, it 



52 



THE WAY OF LIFE: 



struck off abruptly from the Way of Life, and ran 
directly from it, as if in scorn of the divine pathway. 
The natural conditions of this by-path were directly 
opposite those of the by-path last described. They 
were practically unchangeable, so that what they were 
at one time they were at another. So fixed were they 
in this respect that even the soil was difficult of culti- 
vation. Jndeed, all nature remained stationery. 

This was called Liberal By-Path, because its inhab- 
itants were believers in liberalism. Their belief was, 
in short, everything but the true faith. They virtu- 
ally discarded all that was taught in my "Volume of 
Life," going only by what they might see or hear or 
imagine. I asked them to explain to me what they 
believed. Their answer was, in substance, that they 
disbelieved what had been given me to guide me on 
my journey to a better land. What they did believe, 
I discovered, was not the same with all, some holding 
to one thing and some to another. I also noticed that 
whatever they believed as a doctrine was of short du- 
ration. A doctrine would rise and be accepted by 
them to-day; to-morrow a new one would spring up 
and take the place of the former. On a close inspec- 
tion of these things, I discovered this fickleness to arise 
from two causes: First, sinfulness, which is always 
shifting the thoughts of the mind ; and second, uncer- 
tainty, which always follows unbelief. I observed 
that these people were loud in asserting their belief, but 
I also noticed that notwithstanding their great preten- 
sions, there was underneath it all a feeling of uneasi- 
ness. Indeed, it seemed as if they were trying to 
smother doctrines which it was hard to avoid. It also 
appeared as though they were strongly desiring things 
which they could not fully believe. As when a man 
desires to vomit, yet will not, so they were holding 
doctrines which it was natural for the mind to reject, 
but which they would not. 

Moreover, I saw that these people were embittered 
against the doctrines taught in the "Volume of Life." 
But I saw at the same time that one reason for this 



AN ALLEGOKY. 



53 



dislike was that these doctrines were not sufficiently 
loose for them, and that another reason was that they 
did not accord with their lives. This prejudice was 
not confined to these doctrines, but was also extended 
to those who held them. Hence the pilgrims were not 
in favor with the inhabitants of this by-path. They 
sneered at their lives, ridiculed their prayers, and ques- 
tioned their hope of glory, and they made them a jest 
and a mock. While holding views in religion, the lives 
of these scoffers were of the most irreverent spirit. 

BROAD CHURCH. 

At this point we reached Broad Church, a church of 
so-called liberal doctrines. The exterior bore a neg- 
lected appearance, and I was informed that services 
there were very irregular. A meeting, however, was 
about to be held at the hour when we were passing, 
and the guide wished me to enter, and for once see the 
contrast between the false and the true in religious 
faith. As we did so, I was impressed with the ab- 
sence of that reverence which is common to all truly 
worshiping congregations. The people appeared as 
though filled with curiosity or speculative pleasure. 
Indeed, I should have forgotten I was in a church had 
it not been so called. The preacher referred to God, 
but in a speculative, uncertain way, which rendered 
him somewhat obscure. He spoke of his mercy and 
goodness, but as though these were man's due, rather 
than attributes of grace to a fallen, sinful world. 
He spoke also of his justice, but only to ridicule 
and deny it. He commended the attributes which 
are pleasing to men, but condemned those which 
restrain his lower passions. He spoke of God as a 
one sided being, loving righteousness, but having little 
hatred for sin, — as loving one thing, but feeling little 
displeasure at that which is its opposite. The saint he 
loved, and for the sinner his love was nearly as great. 

At this point 1 quietly took out my " Volume of 
Life," and read to myself this passage: ''But unto 

5 



54 



THE WAY OF LIFE: 



them that are contentious and do not obey the truth, 
but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tribu- 
lation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth 
evil, of the Jew first and also of the Gentile." 

Indeed, the preacher seemed more anxious to convert 
men to liberalism than to God. The burden of his 
discourse was not directed so much against sin as 
against the faith of the pilgrims. He held that the 
King to whose country I was traveling died when on 
earth more as an example than as an atonement for 
man. But, opening my "Volume of Life," I read 
these words, " Who his own self bare our sins in his 
own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, 
should live unto righteousness, by whose stripes ye 
were healed." But he advocated that if he died as an 
atonement, that atonement would save all men. By 
referring to my " Volume " again, I read this passage 
from him who made the atonement : " He that be- 
lieveth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that be- 
lieveth not shall be damned ; " by which he means 
that the sinner's salvation through the atonement de- 
pends on his belief in, or his acceptance of, that act. 
His discourse treated of God as a being who dealt with 
good, and had little cognizance of evil, or was passive 
to it. I judged that if the State regarded sin and 
wrong as indifferently as the preacher of liberalism 
represented God as regarding it, universal crime and 
anarchy would follow. I also judged, from the lack 
of worship and the religious indifference in this congre- 
gation, that what this doctrine would be to the State 
morally, it was to this church spiritually, namely, 
death. Moreover, I could not help the reflection that 
this doctrine had not only very little restraint upon 
sin, but that it indirectly encouraged it. If God is 
passive to sin, why should man refrain from sinning ? 
This is the question the sinner naturally asks. 

After the formal services were over, the preacher, 
perceiving we were strangers, inquired if we were 
liberal ists. I told him we were not, but were Chris- 
tian pilgrims journeying to a better land. He replied 



AN" ALLEGORY. 



55 



that it was a good journey, but asked if we had not 
better embrace the doctrines of liberalism. I an- 
swered that I could not see that these doctrines had 
made pilgrims of many of his congregation, although 
they had heard them for years. I said, however, that 
to be charitable, I presumed a very few of them would 
finally enter the Way of Life. To this opinion, as to 
the effects of these doctrines, he did not dissent, but ex- 
pressed regret that they were not more beneficial, and 
said they had little power. 

I had hoped that the preacher would inquire after 
our progress in the Way of Life, and our prospects of 
heaven, instead of manifesting an interest in propagat- 
ing doctrines detrimental to our journey. He did, it 
is true, preach from the " Volume of Life," but he told 
me privately that he believed that part of this book 
which appeared reasonable to him, and rejected the 
part that did not, not leaving its reasonableness to God. 
On further conversation, I saw that he held the whole 
book loosely. Indeed, the preaching was loose, and I 
saw, also, that the fruits were loose. Hurtful games 
were practiced, pure religion was scoffed at, and im- 
moralities were indulged in. I did not wonder that 
this man bewailed the condition of his people; for his 
preaching not only opened the way for their sinful 
lives, but the assurance he gave them that his loose 
doctrines were right, gave them license to sin. 

After my conversation with the preacher, I talked 
with several members of the society, and found them 
holding the most gross inconsistencies. They were at 
enmity with the pilgrims, and held them to a strict 
account in their relation to men. To this accounta- 
bility I had no objection; but when I referred, on the 
same principle, to man's accountability to God, I 
noticed that they inclined to hold this view or doc- 
trine more lightly. But I saw this was not because 
they did not hold man responsible to his Maker, but 
that they wished to make it appear that none regarded 
him highly, and that because of this general disregard, 
God in contempt passed their sins by unnoticed. I 



56 



THE WAY OF LIFE: 



saw, however, that they would not permit this to be 
done in the civil government of their by-path, lest vice 
crime, and wrong should render existence therein dan- 
gerous ; and I discovered that they had a lurking sus- 
picion that God a.lso w ould not wink at sin, though 
they might outwardly profess otherwise. They pro- 
fessed to disbelieve the doctrine of hell, yet they im- 
prisoned criminals in their penitentiary, which to this 
world is what perdition is to the next. They denied 
the doctrine of endless punishment, yet they impris- 
oned their greatest criminals for life. They denied the 
possibility of the general judgment, yet every few 
months their courts held a general judgment of crimi- 
nals. They held that God governed by love and not 
by justice, yet they were not able thus to govern men 
themselves. Hence the many inconsistencies of these 
people. But I understood very well that these incon- 
sistencies came from their erroneous doctrines. 

I now privately examined my thermometer, and 
found it standing at twenty degrees, indicating that 
they were freezing in spirit. I also inspected my com- 
pass The hand of the delicate instrument, which was 
small, but always correct, indicated that the course 
these people were pursuing was many degrees off from 
the way which led to heaven. 

MORALITY BRANCH PATH. 

Passing on some distance, we reached Morality 
Branch Path. This was so called because it left the 
main by-path, and was, so to speak, a branch of it 
The inhabitants of this branch were moralists. Those 
j ust described looked for salvation through the indiffer- 
ence or excessive benevolence of God ; these looked for 
salvation through their own merits or perfection. 

Passing along this path, we first came to the resi- 
dence of Honesty, whom we met at his gate, and he 
invited us in. His residence was a plain but homelike 
dwelling. Honesty had an open but not highly intel- 
lectual face. He held that all that was necessary for 



AN ALLEGORY. 



57 



men's salvation was honest business dealing. But I 
asked him what God would do with the murderer, the 
slanderer, and the impure one, who might chance to be 
honest in deal ; while some were honest for the sake 
of covering other sins, hoping thereby in some way to 
atone for them. He only replied that honesty was an 
advantage to men. I answered that dishonesty in 
business was a sin, but that there were still greater 
sins, as murder, and that therefore honesty was not 
sufficient to deter men from other things that were sin- 
ful. I argued, moreover, that God cared most for that 
honesty which was honest with him. That he had lit- 
tle regard for the honesty which embraced a few 
earthly things, but that he loved and rewarded the 
honesty which made men's spiritual and moral lives 
right with their Maker, and as a result, right with 
their fellow-men. This, I said, was honest dealing 
with God, because these lives were due him. I urged 
that his mistake was not in upholding honesty to men, 
but in not admitting that it extended to God. He is 
our Maker and Redeemer, hence our obligations to him 
as creatures and as redeemed ; and hence the dishon- 
esty of not discharging these obligations. He who is 
truly honest with God will be honest with man ; for 
dishonesty with man would violate his duty of hon- 
esty to God. He who is honest to God is also honest 
to the duties which God imposes, and one of these 
duties extends to dealings with man. On the other 
hand, he who is honest in deal in the interest of man 
alone, may violate that honesty when temptations rise 
higher than mere human considerations. To these 
arguments, Honesty made no objection, but appeared 
to think them just, when he saw the facts in their 
true light. I endeavored to persuade him to enter 
the Way of Life, but found his irreligious life too 
fixed to change. 

We then passed on, designing to visit each of these 
moralists, hoping to persuade them to lead religious 
lives, for we knew morality would not save them. 
We next came to Purity. His place was cleanly kep f , 



58 



THE WAY OF LIFE: 



as if to correspond with the doctrine which he held. 
Purity advocated that as impurity of life was the 
cause of much sin and misery, purity from sensual 
wrong was about all that was needed. But I said 
that, while this sin should be avoided, it was not all 
that was required. Purity from this wrong did not 
preclude other sins. I said that if purity was to save 
him, it must be the purity which would exclude all 
sin ; for no man could be saved in sin. I inquired if 
he had this all-embracing purity of heart, at the same 
time reading to him this passage from the "Volume of 
Life : " " Blessed are the pure in heart ; for they shall 
see God." He answered that he had not, and desired 
to know how it might be obtained. I answered that 
it was by repenting of all sin, when the King would 
invest him with his robes of righteousness and purity; 
and that his robe of righteousness was sufficiently pure 
from all sin to stand between the penitent soul and di- 
vine justice. I said that the human mind was such 
that it would often make some sins appear as trifles, 
compared with others which were nearly as great. But 
God looks with disapproval upon sins which men treat 
lightly; hence, he has little regard for partial reform, 
or abstinence from a single sin alone. Turning from 
all sin toward all purity will, alone, suffice for him. 

Purity acknowledged this requirement to be , right, 
and turned to God in hearty repentance of all his sins. 
He sought earnestly for that holiness of heart which 
should justify his bearing the name Purity. He en- 
tered the Way of Life, and walked faithfully therein 
to the end. 

Of all the moralists we visited in this division path, 
none could be persuaded to enter the Way of Life but 
Purity, though we labored hard to save the rest. This 
was not because Purity was better than the others, but 
because he chanced to accept. 

Pleased with the salvation we had brought to Purity, 
we passed on to the residence of Truth. His dwelling 
was unpretentious, but well made, and his surround- 
ings of a practical kind. We informed Truth that we 



AN ALLEGORY. 



59 



were pilgrims from the Way of Life, journeying to a 
better world, and that we had called upon him to enter 
the same pathway, and thus avoid the pangs of hell. 

Truth said that we were on a commendable mission, 
and that attention should be given to the salvation of 
the soul. He added, however, that he considered him- 
self tolerably safe, as he was a man of perfect recti- 
tude in speech. I replied that this, as far as it went, 
was very well, but that God required not only perfect 
rectitude in speech, but rectitude of heart, with refer- 
ence to himself, and asked if he possessed this. As 
Truth was honest, he replied that he thought it doubt- 
ful, and asked how such perfect truth of heart toward 
God could be obtained. I answered that it could be 
reached only by turning from all sin and appealing to 
Jesus Christ, who would take his place and wash away 
his sins, wherein Truth failed in perfect rectitude to 
God; and this Saviour would allow him to receive his, 
that is, Christ's, life, perfect truth, and spiritual recti- 
tude in the place of the lamentable failure which the 
person Truth had made. Truth acknowledged this to 
be a noble offer, but he had been so long wedded to his 
single idea, that we were not able to start him on the 
way to heaven. We parted from Truth, regretting 
that one who acknowledged his duty so freely could 
* not be persuaded to do it. But we were convinced 
that his false doctrine of salvation by truthfulness had 
so long held him, that he had lost his relish for that 
spiritual and religious truth which promises life in a 
better world. 

Proceeding on our way, we soon came to the home of 
Benevolence. His residence was rather inviting, and 
kindness was expressed in his countenance. He held 
that charity to the poor and needy was the most that 
was required for his salvation. We told him that 
these things were very good, but that they should be 
the result of accepting salvation, rather than the means 
of seeking it. I quoted several passages from my 
i: Volume of Life," showing that God cared more for 
the heart than for men's work, although requiring both. 



60 



THE WAY OF LIFE : 



I told him that God looked upon the motives of the 
soul, and that when these motives were to gain heaven 
by acts of benevolence, while the soul was sinful, such 
benevolence was not acceptable to Him. This would be 
a purchase of a better world at the expense of forfeit- 
ing the laws which constitute that w^orld; in other 
words, that if a man could enter heaven because of 
his benevolence, he could in all other ways rebel against 
that place. Moreover, I said that God needed the 
charity of the spirit as well as men do, in things which 
are temporal; that he was patient and long-suffering 
with sinful men; and that most of all things which he 
needed was the obedience and love of his creatures. 
We told him that as men's necessities of body were 
supplied by benevolent acts to the pleasure of those 
who receive, so the necessities of God's Spirit are sup- 
plied by religion to the pleasure of himself; in fact, 
that God was always pleased with the free gift of the 
heart to Him, though men might not be always pleased 
with free-will offerings to themselves. 

We next reached the dwelling of Good- Will. The 
most noticeable feature of his place was the absence of 
anything particularly offensive, although it did not pos- 
sess superior attractions. Good- Will had an amiable, 
yet somewhat indifferent, countenance. He said he 
thought if a person wished others well, and harbored 
ill-will to none, his prospect for salvation was tolerable. 
I replied that the spirit was well, but that the reason- 
ing was wrong. A man may possess this spirit, and 
yet be a sinner. His heart may be rebellious against 
the will and person of God, and may even think more 
of man than of his Maker. He may be well disposed 
to man, and still be indifferent to, or rebellious against, 
the holiness of life which man's highest good requires. 
He may possess a good spirit toward men, and yet be 
indifferent to the great religious principle of righteous- 
ness, which is the foundation from which this good 
feeling should spring. 

Even men of desperately wicked hearts toward God 
may have no ill-will toward men. Wishing well to 



AN ALLEGORY. 



61 



others avails little of itself ; for this is often a negative 
and indifferent virtue. It is only when this spirit is 
carried so far as to reach up to God, and cause him, by 
repentance, to evolve a good life from a good will, that 
it is effectual. It is only when this spirit is thoroughly 
applied to the things of religion, that it can aid in our 
salvation. God has manifested his good-will to man 
by providing a way for our salvation , and in turn our 
good- will can only avail by following in the way that 
is provided. This course of reasoning Good- Will ap- 
proved, but we were not able to persuade him to accept 
what he acknowledged to be right. In a good-natured 
way, he managed to waive our exhortations to religion. 
Indeed, while he seemed convinced of the necessity of 
a change, he appeared indifferent about making it. 

Walking on, we reached the home of General Mor- 
ality. His house bore a rather stately, but cold, ap- 
pearance. We rapped at the door, and were ushered 
into the house in a somewhat formal manner, by Gen- 
eral Morality himself. We informed him that we were 
pilgrims to a better world, and were urging others to 
repent, believe, and join us in our pilgrimage. 

When the word repent struck the ear of General 
Morality, he colored with indignation, and said he did 
not wish to be called a sinner; that he was a man of 
general moral rectitude, and regarded himself as fit for 
heaven, and better than some professed pilgrims. We 
replied that we meant no offense, but that we spoke of 
him as a sinner in the sense in which God holds all to 
be sinners. Not that we would call him a criminal, 
but a man not free from sin, not pleasing to God, not 
fitted for heaven. To confirm this, I opened my " Vol- 
ume of Life," and read this passage: "For all have 
sinned, and come short of the glory of God." This, I 
told him, gave no room for men to hold themselves 
guiltless in the sight of God. 

As regarded his high morality, I again quoted: " But 
we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteous- 
nesses are as filthy rags." Such is God's view of man's 
sin, and man's righteousness. As he is Maker, Judge, 



62 



THE WAY OF LIFE: 



and Disposer of every soul, so he must be the author- 
ity for its character. We kindly informed him that if 
he would go to God, he would impart to him his own 
righteousness, so that his poor, and, so far as its being 
able to save him was concerned, useless morality would 
give place to the perfect and saving righteousness of a 
holy Being. In proof of this, I quoted this passage: 
"For he hath clothed me with the garments of salva- 
tion ; he hath covered me with the robe of righteous- 
ness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, 
and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels." 

This concluded our unavailing interview, when we 
arose, and, taking our departure from this branch path, 
we returned to the Way of Life. 

THE THREE MOUNTAIN RANGES. 

Before reaching the Way of Life, we passed through 
three mountain ranges which hindered millions from 
'entering the sacred pathway. The first of these ranges 
was called Mt. Self-Righteousness, the second, Mt. 
Conceit, and the third, Mt. Skepticism. As we ap- 
proached these mountains I perceived with astonish- 
ment that they were all smoking volcanoes. The guide 
informed me that they were heated by what he called 
sin-fires. These fires, he said, had completely honey- 
combed these mountains, reaching to their highest 
peaks ; and that although they looked solid, the fire 
had eaten from the heart to their very surface, causing 
dangerous pit-falls, yawning chasms, winding gulches, 
and deceiving openings filled with ashes, into which 
those who attempted to ascend were certain finally to 
fall. 

We first came to Mt. Self-Righteousness, when the 
guide wished me to pause a short time for my instruc- 
tion. After waiting a few moments, we saw a num- 
ber of persons commence the ascent. Unlike the as- 
cent of an ordinary mountain, they appeared to think 
there was no danger, and rushed rapidly up the sides, 
where cautious men would have followed a guide. I 



AN ALLEGORY. 



63 



watched their ascent with great interest, and observed 
that they aimed to reach certain peaks which were 
prominent along the range, each seeking the peak his 
habits had favored. One was called Honesty Peak, 
another Purity Peak, and so each was named. The 
guide informed me that from these peaks they in- 
dulged the hope that they would be taken to Paradise. 
As they ascended, however, they became intent on 
reaching the peaks at which they were aiming, and 
more indifferent to the sin pit-falls among which they 
were passing. While gazing, I was shocked to see the 
foremost of these slip, and drop suddenly out of sight. 
Soon another, and another, disappeared in the same 
manner, until all were lost. The guide said they were 
lost forever ; for Mt. Self-Righteousness rarely gave up 
those who went down into it. As we stood gazing in 
sorrow for this loss, I thought I saw a slight tremor of 
the mountain, when all at once, to my alarm, it shook 
like a leaf in autumn. Thus, said the guide, shall self- 
righteousness shake in the day of judgment. 

We then started on our course toward the Way of 
Life. Mt. Self-Righteousness stood directly between 
us and the desired pathway. However, we moved on, 
and when near the base of the mountain, we came to a 
large sign, which bore this inscription : " Even the 
righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ, 
unto all and upon all them that believe." These words 
meant that we must be clothed in the robes of God's 
righteousness, and not our own, and it stood in strik- 
ing contrast with Mt. Self-Righteousness. A hand 
upon the sign pointed to a narrow pass in the mount- 
ain, to which we at once proceeded. Over this defile 
was this inscription, — Atonement Pass. Approaching 
this, we were met by a man whose name was Conse- 
cration, who invited us into his house, and offered to 
furnish us with robes for the passage. These robes 
were very beautiful, and spotlessly white. I, however, 
informed him that I had long been a pilgrim, and was 
furnished with such a robe when our journey was com- 
menced. But all who entered this pass for the Way of 



64 



THE WAY OF LIFE: 



Life and a better world were required to wear them. 
Indeed, they were supplied by the King to whose coun- 
try we were traveling, who would not admit any into 
his kingdom who were clad in their own righteousness. 
He held the last-named as only fit for perdition. 

We then passed through the defile to Mt. Conceit. 
This mountain, also, was a smoking volcano, heated by 
sin-fires, like the former. But it was different from 
the other in certain respects. On Mt. Conceit there 
were a number of paths called conceit paths, which led 
sooner or later to some dangerous spot where the trav- 
eler was sure to be lost. These paths, which were very 
attractive to the eye of the traveler, were not straight, 
but ran here and there to some shaded spot or favored 
nook, in a most abrupt manner. Moreover, the per- 
sons who followed them could not be persuaded of their 
danger, but in a most headstrong manner pursued their 
way until all at once they fell into some pitfali. 

A remarkable phenomenon must be mentioned in 
this connection. After persons had ascended the mount- 
ain a certain distance, their eyes became so affected 
that generally partial, and occasionally total, blindness 
followed. Hence when danger was reached, it was 
not particularly observed. This blindness gradually 
increased as the ascent was continued, so that those 
most advanced saw the least danger. 

At the base of the mountain, we came to a sign 
bearing these words : " Danger ! Avoid the ruin which 
comes to those puffed up with their own conceit." The 
guide desired me to write this passage from my " Vol- 
ume of Life," underneath the sign : " There is a way 
that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are 
the ways of death." This, he said, might aid in turn- 
ing some from the vain assurance that their knowledge 
was infallible, to the certain wisdom of a higher Being. 

We paused a few moments, and gazed upon the great 
mountain before us. As we did so, the guide remarked 
that it had swallowed up millions of the human race ; 
and that if these warnings were not heeded, it would 
swallow up many millions more. He said that their 




LOST IN THE DESTROYING VOLCANOES. 



AN ALLEGORY. 



65 



error was that they followed their own knowledge in- 
stead of God's wisdom, in matters of religion, and 
their conceits instead of his way. 

A hand on the sign pointed to a passage through the 
mountain, which we soon found. Over this passage 
were written these words : "For my thoughts are not 
your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith 
the Lord." This was called Teachable Pass, and every 
one who entered it was given a book like my " Volume 
of Life," to guide him, as a higher authority than him- 
self. 

Passing through this, we soon came to Mt. Skepti- 
cism. This was a bold, high mountain, filled with sin- 
fires, and having many dangerous pitfalls in its sur- 
face. Two remarkable features were noticed about 
this mountain : One was that it was always enveloped 
in fog and darkness, and its history showed that it was 
never free from these ; the other was that the geolog- 
ical formation showed that during the last eighteen 
hundred years, this mountain had several times changed 
its base. Hence it was difficult to tell at one age 
which way the mountain would range at another. But 
in whatever way it stood, the fog was still upon it. 
Many paths ascended it, w r hich were known by differ- 
ent names, as Atheistic Path, Spiritualism Path ; and 
even some bore Christian names, as Broad Church 
Path, which were no less skeptical. All who ascended 
the mountain followed the different paths according to 
their views. Yet all were lost in the fog and the sin- 
fires. I observed that this mountain had a slight 
tremor. The guide explained that this was due to its 
poor foundation, and said that at the day of judgment 
the whole mountain would sink out of sight. Many 
who ascended the mountain, took with them scientific 
instruments, and talked much concerning their knowl- 
edge of science. Those who would accept them, were 
given the " Volume of Life," and instruments like those 
which had been furnished me ; and these few were the 
only ones who ever returned from the mountain. Those 
who followed their scientific instruments in the ascent, 



66 



THE WAY OF LIFE'. 



were only the more certain to be lost. Occasionally 
one was found to abandon all these, and to depend on 
the spiritual provisions furnished, which were certain 
to bring him down from the mountain, and lead him in 
the better way. Indeed, the experience of those on the 
mountain proved repeatedly that no instruments there 
were accurate, except the heavenly compass and the 
spiritual thermometer, and no guide-book was reliable, 
except the " Volume of Life." The guide said their in- 
struments might do for this world, but mine only could 
be used for the next. All through these mountains the 
heavenly compass showed the Way of Life to be else- 
where, while the spiritual thermometer stood but little 
above zero. 

A sign was posted at the base of the mountain, bear- 
ing the words : " He that believetb on him shall not be 
confounded." This stood in striking contrast to the 
fog and darkness which enveloped Mt. Skepticism. A 
hand on the sign pointed to a pass to which we repaired. 
Over the defile were the words, " Belief Pass," which 
we immediately entered, and as we did so, we dis- 
covered the foundation of the pass to be solid rock, 
which the guide said had endured for ages past, and 
would endure untold ages yet to come. This, he said, 
was not affected by the tremor and vacillation of the 
mountain. As we passed along, I saw the name 
" Jesus " on the rock over which we were passing.* On 
a close inspection, I discovered that the name was not 
written upon the surface of the stone, but that it was 
interwoven within it, and showed through the stone. 
The guide explained that this was the name of the 
Maker, and that it was formed in the stone when it 
was created. 

As we reached the opposite s : de of the mountain, we 
came immediately upon the Way of Life. As we did 
so, the Sun of Righteousness appeared with increased 
luster. All through the mountains, he was but dimly 
and imperfectly seen, indeed, he was generally not seen 
at all. Yet here he appeared, not only increased in 
luster, but also somewhat higher in the heavens. As I 



AN ALLEGORY. 



67 



have said before, he rose in proportion as we advanced 
toward him, and all along we had been traveling in that 
direction, and thus permitted him to come nearer to u<!. 

My impression of Liberal By-Path was that it was 
not favorable to its inhabitants' entering this better 
way. A few did enter it, but most of them were filled 
with false notions of religion, which excluded religion 
itself. Moreover, many were set against the doctrines 
by which they were to be led into the Way of Life, 
and embittered against those who were walking therein. 
Profanity was not uncommon among them, while all 
sins were looked upon too lightly. I saw, also, that 
some held these for a license to sin. Their views of re- 
ligion were limited and imperfect. They confined re- 
ligion chiefly to man, and that in the practice of cer- 
tain moralities. Some of them had no idea of wor- 
ship, and most of them had no proper conception of a 
holy communion with God. It seemed as though the 
by-path was made to lead souls away from the Way of 
Life.' I could not help thinking that it stood to relig- 
ion much as darkness stands to light. Even man} 7 
preachers of liberalism seemed more concerned in keep- 
ing men enveloped in error than in directing them to 
glory. 

I saw clearly that these loose doctrines led to a loose 
life, and that a loose life led in an opposite direction 
from the Way of Life, and that whatever led away 
from this pathway led do^n to hell. Hence, I con- 
cluded that liberalism was a curse to mankind, as well 
as erroneous in its teachings. The guide said that 
there was a liberalism that was right. It was the 
liberalism that taught that every sincere Christian 
whose heart was right with God and man, of any de- 
nomination, should be saved. It was the doctrine that 
all men who turned in repentance and lived in holiness, 
should find salvation. " But not," he continued, " the 
doctrine held by many in this by-path, that all shall 
be saved ; for this very belief has kept thousands, 
who imagined they were saved, from the steps neces- 
sary to their salvation. It is often easier to turn men 



68 



THE WAY OF LIFE: 



from sin than from the errors and prejudices of this by- 
path. Happily, have we escaped its false teachings." 

LITERARY BY-PATH. 

Just at this point we came to Literary By-Path. 
It appeared at this place, because it was here that the 
former by-path naturally brought it forth ; for it was 
in part the product of the earlier paths. The natural 
features of this by-path were very singular. It was 
overgrown with dark forests, dense undergrowth, thick 
tangles, and had many miry marshes and dangerous 
sloughs. Through this dark maze ran many aimless 
paths, crossing one another, and seemingly without be- 
ginning or end. When persons entered these paths, 
they were liable to wander to the most distant regions, 
and to the darkest spiritual, moral, social, and intel- 
lectual recesses ol Worldly Yalley. This maze of 
natural growth became deeper and darker, and these 
paths multiplied as the inhabitants went from the Way 
of Life down into the by-path. It was observable 
that nearly all the by-paths led directly away from 
the Way of Life, so that few who followed them re- 
turned to it. 

These paths bore various names, as Speculation Path, 
Philosophy Path, Science Path, Knowledge Path, and 
many others. Of all these paths, only one returned to 
the Way of Life, namely, Knowledge Path. This was 
the deepest and broadest of them all, but, alas ! had the 
fewest travelers. He, however, who would follow it 
well was certain to be brought back to the Way of 
Life. At first, this path was narrow, but it ultimately 
enlarged to embrace all learning, taking in man's 
fallen state and God's plan of salvation. When it was 
narrow, it ran away from the Way of Life; but when 
it became broad and deep, it came back to it. Many 
who followed it when narrow, left it when it became 
larger, and turned back, making the number small 
who turned their steps to the Way of Life. 

So dense was the maze of this Literary By-Path, 



AN ALLEGORY 



69 



that travelers were always uncertain where they were. 
I made the discovery that some of them had instru- 
ments which bore the names of the instruments that I 
used. But experience proved these instruments to be 
false In examining these instruments, I looked for 
the name of the manufacturer, and found them to be 
of human origin, formed after the notions of men, and 
largely of unbelievers. This explained the cause of 
their failure. Their heavenly compass, so called, was 
extremely varying, pointing in different directions, but 
most frequently to this world. Their spiritual ther- 
mometer, so called, was never sensitive to evil, not dis- 
criminating, as did mine, but marked alike for good 
or bad. These false instruments led these poor, 
blinded people into deeper mazes and more difficult 
tangles. To add to their difficulties, the paths multi- 
plied, and became more interwoven in proportion as 
they receded from the Way of Life, thereby rendering 
return more difficult. Some of these meandered 
through wild, romantic regions, attracting the traveler 
by every false fascination of love and wedlock. In 
these paths they walked and dreamed and laughed and 
cried by day and night. 

LITERARY PRISON. 

In the midst of these winding paths was Literary 
Prison. It seemed, indeed, to have been the product 
of the paths; for, as if by magic, it sprang up from 
among them. This prison was divided into several 
wards. These wards bore the names of the paths, as 
Speculation Ward, Philosophy Ward, Science Ward, 
Knowledge Ward, Love Ward, Romance Ward, Sport 
Ward, Sensual Ward, and others. The chief employ- 
ment of these prisoners was reading their favorite 
works, and speculating upon their authors' thoughts 
and theories. Those in Speculation Ward were occu- 
pied in poring over speculative works, ever going from 
author to author, yet ever in a state of uncertainty. 
6 



70 



THE WAY OF LIFE: 



Those in Philosophy Ward read nothing but the cold 
consolations of philosophy, with no divine atonement, 
and no certainty of a glorious hereafter. The occu- 
pants of Science Ward perused only the works of sci- 
ence, the reading of which narrowed their minds to 
this natural world, and they knew little of, and cared 
little for, one that is better. In Knowledge Ward 
their only desire was to be learned, and this so puffed 
up the prisoners that they thought themselves all-wise. 
Love Ward was occupied by men and women, whose 
reading inclined them to worship each other, instead of 
God. In Romance Ward, the people followed those of 
the opposite sex in prose and verse, over hill and vale, 
over mountain and river, and in tears and smiles 
frittered away the solid character of their minds in the 
pursuit of fancy. Sport Ward contained those who 
were readers of the sports of the world. They were 
patrons of horse-racing, hunting, gambling, prize-fight- 
ing, and finally of robbing, induced by like reading. 
Sensual Ward contained those who had become base 
by the perusal of obscene literature. When young, 
these had been permitted the use of the less offensive 
kind of this literature; and when older they sought it 
in its most debasing character. They first became im- 
pure in thought, then vicious, then criminal. 

These wards were numbered and graded according 
to their kind and character. Speculation Ward was 
numbered one; Philosophy Ward, two; Science Ward, 
three; Love Ward, four; and thus to the end, Sensual 
Ward being last. The design of this grading was to 
transfer from the higher ward to the lower, as their 
character grew worse. Accordingly, the lower wards, 
and especially the last, were very much larger than the 
first. Those who left the first wards gave up the lit- 
erary works which were read in those wards ; for still 
baser works were read in those to which they went. 
Thus they were transferred to each of these wards, un- 
til the very lowest was reached. The guide explained 
that the literary works in these various wards, from 
the highest to the lowest, were tinctured with the same 



AN ALLEGORY. 



71 



spirit, socially, theologically, morally, and politically. 
He said that he who tasted the first, naturally craved 
the next, and the next, and thus their taste degenerated 
until the worst was reached. 

REGENERATION FOUNTAIN. 

We offered the people in these wards the literature 
of my " Volume of Life," as being best suited to their 
needs, but they refused. Though we were almost in 
despair, the guide said that he would perform a 
miracle, by divine agency, which should be his only 
miracle in all our journey. He hoped by this to move 
a few, at least, to salvation. Accordingly, the prisoners 
from the various wards were invited to be present. 
When they had gathered, they were filled with all 
kinds of unbelief respecting the promised miracle. 
Some speculated on it, others philosophized against it, 
others scientifically denied its possibility, and each ar- 
gued against it according to the ward he occupied and 
the works he read. 

But despite all this, the guide entered the multitude 
in a most assured, dignified, yet simple, manner. 
Standing in the midst of them, he took my " Volume 
of Life" and placed it on the ground. After a few 
moments' pause he slowly raised the sacred work from 
the earth, when a magnificent fountain of water burst 
forth from the ground where the '"'Volume" had lain. 
"This," said the guide to the prisoners, "is a symbol of 
the water of life, which fills those who read and obey 
the ' Volume ' which I offer you, and of which you 
may drink without thirsting. Your works leave you 
craving, but this work, which brings forth these waters, 
will satisfy you forever." 

The prisoners stood speechless in the midst of this 
exhibition of power, and I confess I was myself filled 
with astonishment. A singular fact about these waters 
was that they made no noise. They boiled up several 
feet, making a large and magnificent fountain, an 1 



72 



THE WAY OF LIFE: 



were as clear as crystal, but as still as oil. " Such," 
said the guide, "are the results of the spiritual fount- 
ain of regeneration in the soul, which they represent, 
and which this ' Volume of Life ' will bring forth if 
applied to the heart as I applied it to the earth." 

The stream from this fountain flowed directly to the 
Way of Life, which fact strongly indicated its origin 
there. These waters possessed remarkable powers; 
they were a materia medica in themselves; they were 
even more than this; for those diseases which they 
could not heal, they enabled the sufferer to bear. 

Contrary to the ways of natural springs this fount- 
ain increased its waters in time of drouth, so that 
when the earth was parched, the great spring was ready 
to supply it. Earthquakes, tornadoes, storms, and 
changes only served to increase its volume and power. 
Even enemies could not extinguish it. If they dug 
into it, its waters were increased ; if they filled it up, 
it gushed out abundantly upon every side ; if they in- 
closed it, it issued from every fissure of its inclosure. 
It was irrepressible, yet mild and still. 

These waters were always sweet. If sour, bitter, or 
acrid liquids were poured into them, they were still 
sweet. Furthermore, they had the power of trans- 
forming other articles into their own sweetness. -Noth- 
ing was so sour that they could not change it, nothing 
so bitter that they could not transform it, nothing so 
offensive that they could not improve it. On inquir- 
ing the cause of these marvelous powers, the guide in- 
formed me that the original waters from which the 
spring was formed were from a much more heavenly 
altitude than those of the ordinary spring. He said 
the laws which governed these waters were the reverse 
of those of the common spring ; hence their results 
were likewise largely reversed. This miracle pro- 
duced a profound effect upon the prisoners, and a 
few of them drank from the fountain, all being in- 
vited to do so as an introduction to salvation. 



AN ALLEGORY. 



73 



THE LOST KEYS. 

The prisoners had been in their wards so long that 
the keys which opened the doors toward the Way of 
Life were lost. When by divine power the guide 
brought forth this fountain, he bade all the prisoners, 
who had drunk of its waters, look down to its bottom, 
when, behold ! they saw the long- lost keys. Those 
who did not drink of the fountain could not see them, 
but to those who did, they were plainly visible. These 
keys bore different names, according to the ward whose 
doors they were able to open. Speculation Ward was 
opened by Faith key ; Philosophy Ward, by the key 
called Divine Logic ; Science Ward, by Revelation 
key ; Knowledge Ward, by Theology key ; Love Ward, 
by the key called Godly Affection ; Romance Ward, 
by the Heavenly Wonders key ; Sport Ward, by So- 
briety key ; and Sensual Ward, by Purity key. Those 
persons who had drunk from the fountain, immediately 
received their respective keys, when they opened their 
wards, and left their prison for the Way of Life. 

It was a peculiarity of these keys that they could 
not be lost while their owners were in the Way of Life ; 
but if they left the pathway, the keys soon disappeared. 
Unlike other keys, no lock in the wards was so diffi- 
cult or rusted that they could not open it. The doors 
had been closed for years, but the keys opened them as 
easily as if they had been closed but a single day. No 
other keys could open them, hence their importance. 
When the keys were lost, they could be found no- 
where except in the fountain ; for they originated from 
the same source as the waters. 

As only those could see them who drank from the 
fountain, they alone were able to pluck them from it 
and use them. Although they laid in the fountain for 
years, they never rusted. Its waters preserved them 
and kept them bright, so that when these prisoners 
drank from the waters, they saw the shining keys be- 
low. Sometimes prisoners who had not drunk from 
the fountain, would thrust their hands into it to secure 



74 



THE WAY OF LTFE : 



the key for their ward, hoping thus improperly to es- 
cape. But as they were not able to see them, they 
never plucked the right key. But even could they 
have found their desired key, it would have been use- 
less, for only he who drank from the fountain could 
see clearly how to apply it to the lock. By long im- 
prisonment in these wards, and by the literary food 
that had been given these prisoners, a film had grown 
over their eyes, which greatly impaired their sight, and 
which the waters of the fountain alone could remove. 
Therefore, only those who drank from the fountain 
were able both to find and to use the keys. But even 
had these poor, half-blinded prisoners succeeded by any 
means in opening their doors, it would have availed 
them nothing, because good eye-sight was needed in fol- 
lowing the path to the Way of Life ; and when in 
that pathway, it was needed in many ways, in order 
to follow it to the end. 

When the prisoners drank from the fountain, it pro- 
duced three marked effects : First, it created a new 
heart, which was a wonderful work ; second, it re- 
moved the film from the eyes, as I have already men- 
tioned ; third, it changed their taste. These changes 
were sufficient to insure their entrance into the Way 
of Life. Their sight was so improved that they could 
see and use the keys ; a new heart gave them a dis- 
position for higher things ; and the change in their 
taste caused them to substitute the " Volume of Life " 
for the works they had been reading 

As we passed along the Way of Life, we saw men 
everywhere through this by-path lost in its mazes and 
fast in its mires. Nowhere in Worldly Valley did men 
appear to be more aimless than here. Sometimes, after 
wandering for years, they would return to the place 
from which they started More frequently, however, 
they perceived the vanity and error of each place 
through which they passed, and left it to return no 
more. But in passing through the different places of 
the by-path, they became covered with the slime and 
dirt and mire peculiar to each. Many of these people 



AN ALLEGORY. 



75 



boasted of progress, but I noticed that those who were 
loudest in their clamors for progress were the farthest 
down in the by-path, and the most covered with the 
dust thereof. They were also the most difficult to 
bring to that truly progressive pathway, the Way of 
Life. 

The guide said that these mazes, sloughs, and wan- 
dering paths were largely of human origin. He said 
their authors were men who were seekers after money 
or notoriety, and in their conceit they sought to lead 
the public astray into their own ways. 

THE DARK DA YS. 

When traveling through this region, we awoke one 
morning, and found the by-path darker than usual. 
As the morning hours advanced, the darkness deepened, 
and by noon it became total over all that region. Peo- 
ple in the by-path groped and wandered in every di- 
rection ; they moaned and shrieked and shouted in 
their despair ; they sought for light, but it did not ap- 
pear ; they asked for guidance, but it did not come ; 
they called for help, but found it not. 

Through all this dilemma, the Sun of Righteous- 
ness shone with his usual brilliancy. True, the en- 
croaching darkness would sometimes dim his rays for a 
little while, but soon he would dissipate the cloud, and 
shine as bright as ever I inquired of the guide the 
cause of this, to me, alarming change, but he bade me 
dismiss my fears. He explained that this darkness 
was caused by a black fog which arose from this by- 
path. He said the fog came from the many paths, 
whose names I have given,, which formed a net-work 
over all the by-paths, and also from the prison. All 
the paths produced it, but some generated much more 
than others. 

Deeper and deeper grew the darkness, and more 
dense the fog. As these things increased, reports came 
to us that the people of the by-path were becoming 
sick and dying in every sense ; not only did they 



76 



THE WAY OF LIFE: 



sicken and die bodily, but spiritually, morally, intel- 
lectually, and socially. Under cover of this obscuring 
darkness, vice and crime abounded. Immorality and 
all forms of wrong were common, because men were 
enveloped in darkness. Literar}^ darkness was the 
name given to this, because it came from the literary 
paths and the prison. The fact that it came from these 
literary sources, made it more intense, and its effect 
upon the people of the by-path was more lasting than 
it otherwise would have been. They looked to these 
paths for their light ; and when the mist of darkness 
arose from them, they supposed the darkness to be 
their only light. 

In the midst of this deplorable state, we went down 
into the by-path to seek the lost, and to bring them to 
the light. In so doing, we labored under one special 
disadvantage. In the other by-paths the rays from 
the Sun of Righteousness had been imperfectly seen. 
In this fog his light was altogether lost, so that we had 
not even his distant and obscure disc to point these 
wanderers to. 

Still another obstacle was that each of these people 
had a so-called way of life and sun of righteousness of 
his own, which always led in an opposite direction from 
the true Way and the true Sun. Theirs was an 
earthly way and an earthly sun, and their eyes were 
misdirected by long beholding these. Hence could they 
have beheld the true Sun of Righteousness, it would 
have availed them but little unless they first abandoned 
their own. We went from path to path and from 
house to house, informing these people that there was 
a clear day in the midst of this darkness, and a sun in 
the midst of this fog, and health in the midst of this 
sickness. But the darkness was too deep for them to 
believe in light ; the fog was too great for them to be- 
lieve in a sun ; and sickness was too prevalent for 
them to believe in health. Therefore, we returned in 
sadness, with only a few to rejoice in the light and 
breathe the health of a more glorious life. But such 
was the rejoicing of these few as they beheld the Sun, 



AN ALLEGORY. 



such was their health as they basked in the light, 
that we felt well repaid for all our labor. 

The guide said that this fog was natural to the by- 
path, and that it constantly prevailed, but in a much 
less degree, over some of its ramifying paths. He said 
the by-path had been as dark as this a number of times 
before. He continued : " These dark periods are al- 
ways dissipated by four great causes : First, by the 
Sun of Righteousness, whose penetrabing rays to some 
degree dissipate the gloom, and help to dispel it ; second, 
by the 'Volume of Life,' whose enlightening powers 
go far to remove the darkness of all these paths, in- 
cluding those of Philosophy and Science ; third, by the 
Way of Life, which is high in altitude and white in 
color, and also illuminating in its character ; fourth, 
by great storms and upheavals, which sweep away the 
darkness and the fog like chaff." 

Taking my "Volume of Life" in his hands, he said 
that this wonderful work contained the gist of that 
which was good in the many paths of this by-path, 
and none of their evils. He continued: "Its truths 
are so plain that Speculation Path could exercise itself 
upon its unimportant points without injury to the 
whole. Its philosophy is so apparent, yet so profound, 
that Philosophy Path could follow its teachings to the 
advantage of mankind. Its science is so correct and 
so ancient that the students of Science Path would do 
well to follow it. Its knowledge is so vast, so varied, 
so comprehensive, so accurate, that the students of 
Knowledge Path would do best to study it. Its love, 
both human and divine, is so high, so pure, so godly, 
as to be infinitely better than that of Love Path. Its 
romance is so artless and so honest as to be far prefer- 
able to what may be found in Romance Path. Its 
joys are so pure and simple as to exceed the alluring 
temptations of Sport Path. Such is its moderation 
that the votaries of Sensual Path would find this far 
better. It is a literary world in miniature." 

As he concluded, the fog began to disappear, the 
darkness melted away, and the Sun of Righteousness 



78 



THE WAY OF LIFE: 



extended his illuminating rays. Then in gratitude I 
blessed God for assisting me through the temptations 
and toils of the by-path, and asked for his help to the 
end. 

INTEMPERANCE BY-PATH. 

At this point in our journey we reached Intemper- 
ance By-Path. It was a broad, deeply worn path, and 
ran directly from the Way of Life into the valley. It 
was the combined product of all the. other by-paths. 
Hence it was somewhat lower in Worldly Valley than 
all the oth rs. It was called Intemperance By-Path, 
because it was the home of the intemperate. The 
natural features of this by-path were remarkable. It 
was, in the main, a long-continued way, rilled with 
sloughs, marshes, ravines, muddy streams, and pitfalls. 
In fact, the most solid ground was somewhat uncer- 
tain, so that the traveler was liable at any time to sink 
suddenly out of sight. The by-path was crooked, of- 
ten zigzagging in every direction, but rarely toward the 
Way of Life. 

However forbidding most of this by-path may have 
been, the beginning was very attractive. A stream 
called Inebriation River had its origin here, and fol- 
lowed the whole length of it. At this introduction it 
babbled and sparkled in an attractive manner. Bright 
and fragrant flowers bloomed along its shores, and wer- 
shadowing trees stood everywhere beside it. Its run- 
ning waters were of the sweetest and most delicious 
taste, and emitted a delightful odor. They w^ere at 
first somewhat exhilarating and cheering, but their 
after effects were depressing. Bu% alas ! there was one 
danger here which rendered this place most undesira- 
ble. It was said by the wise and prudent that these 
waters had within them unseen death germs, which, if 
drank, would finally bring horrible disaster to both 
soul and body. To add to this danger, these death 
germs would lie dormant in the system, sometimes for 
years, then all at once would develop their poison, and 
bring destruction to their victims. 



AN ALLEGORY. 



79 



Still another danger was that this place was thronged 
by inexperienced youth, who had great relish for the 
water, but little knowledge of its results. Moreover, 
the fact that both soul and body were affected by this 
disease, rendered a cure doubly difficult. There was, 
indeed, but one certain remedy, and that was to enter 
the Way of Life. Strange as it may seem, the soul 
was chiefly injured by the disease. True, to all exter- 
nal appearances, it was the body ; for that became no- 
ticeably diseased. On a close observation, however, the 
spirit was seen secretly to seek the bodily gratification 
which brought on this malady. Hence the remedy 
must first be applied to the immortal nature. Many 
remedies were tried that appealed to man's temporal 
nature, but nearly all failed, and the very few that did 
not, were ever in a state of uncertainty. 

MO BE R A TION INCLINE. 

Proceeding down Inebriation River, we came to what 
was known as Moderation Incline. I say known, 
though, strange to say, by many it was not seen. It 
was a point at which the by-path gradually sloped 
downward. At near the beginning of this, travelers 
generally concluded they could partake in moderation 
of this water without danger, little dreaming of the de- 
scent they were commencing. But their increasing ap- 
petite made this principle of moderation very flexible, 
so that when they were half-way down the incline, 
three times as much drink was required to satisfy their 
moderation as at the beginning. Thus the principle of 
moderation was enlarged, until it was made a principle 
of excess. 

To warn the thoughtless against this danger, some 

. ... 
wise traveler had posted up this safe principle, which 

stood as a bold contradiction to the allurements of Mod- 
eration Incline : " Look not thou upon the wine when 
it is red, when it giveth his color in the cup, when it 
moveth itself aright." This was the doctrine of total 
abstinence from intoxicants, and happier would the 



80 



THE WAY OF LIFE: 



multitude have been, had they observed it. To 
strengthen this, another sign was posted, not far away : 
"Beware ! This enticing incline leads down to hell." 
Some had endeavored to erase these warnings, but the 
truths they expressed would not permit it. 

In traveling down this incline, I noticed that the 
lower part of it was more sloping than the beginning, 
and that travelers passed down it proportionately eas- 
ier. I observed, too, that the stream became larger and 
more rapid at the lower part of the incline, and that it 
gradually became a more prominent feature along the 
way. At first it was nearly hidden, but afterward it 
became quite noticeable. Moreover, its waters became 
more and more sought after as it advanced. The guide 
said that although to all external appearances nothing 
might seem very unfavorable to the unpracticed eye, 
yet the circumstances would soon be seen. It was not 
long before his assertion was verified. 

SURPRISE QUAGMIRE. 

A turn in the by-path and stream brought us sud- 
denly to Surprise Quagmire. " Here," said the guide, 
" is where Moderation Incline unexpectedly brings mul- 
titudes who follow it." To my disgust, many persons 
were wallowing in this quagmire. It seemed at first as 
though they had suddenly jumped into the place, but 
this was not the case. They had come down this in- 
cline with more or less speed, and had run into it al- 
most of necessity. Some were mired ankle deep, some 
knee-deep, and some deeper, varying according to the 
velocity with which they had come down the incline. 

Two paths led from the quagmire. One of these ran 
directly from it to the Way of Life, and was called Ref- 
uge Path. At the entrance to this path a sign was 
posted, which those who were mired might read, with 
these words inscribed : " Too deep for mortal help ; God 
alone can deliver you." This was actually true ; for 
the inhabitants in the vicinity informed us that those 
who thoroughly started in this way, rarely returned. 



AN ALLEGORY. 



81 



In pursuing this way, the path became firmer and more 
reliable as they continued, thus increasing their confi- 
dence as they proceeded. The distance to the Way of 
Life was short, and when that was reached, greater se- 
curity Was felt, yet they were not free from temptation. 
To me it was a wonder that so few entered this better 
way. But the guide said they were deterred by the 
debauchery of the by-path. 

The other path from the quagmire ran in the direc- 
tion of the by-path, and was soon merged in it. Nearly 
all left by this path, but many fell into even worse 
places. Furthermore, this quagmire was filled with 
various kinds of extremely adhesive clays, which were 
never washed off from those who left it by this path. 
These clays were washed from those who left in Refuge 
Path, by the blood of the King to whose country they 
had started ; but as the majority were not traveling 
thence, they were not thus washed. Hence the clays 
ever adhered to them. These clays were of different 
colors. One was red, called Murder clay ; another 
was black, called Demon clay ; another was green, 
called Jealous clay, and thus to the end. A remarka- 
ble fact was, that the entire soil of the by-path was 
filled with these clays, and that every place into which 
the traveler here fell, added more to the clay which he 
already had, thus accumulating the offensive article as 
he went on. These clays were said to represent the va- 
rious characters which this by-path gave to its inhab- 
itants. 

EXCESS INCLINE. 

Excess Incline began at the quagmire. Singular 
though it may seem, it was not much steeper than 
Moderation Incline ; for Moderation Incline finally 
reached an excessive pitch, and to have had a much 
greater incline would have been immediate destruc- 
tion to the traveler. # But Excess Incline equaled and 
somewhat exceeded the last part of the former incline. 
Moreover, it had more dangerous places, into which the 
traveler was liable to fall. Inebriation River, which 



82 



THE WAY OF LIFE : 



at the beginning of the former incline was but a bab- 
bling brook of exhilarating waters, had now swollen to 
a rushing river of an intoxicating nature. All the dan- 
gerous sloughs along the way were watered by it, and 
it was the source of all the evil of the by-path. From 
it men drank and returned to drink again. I had read, 
and in my youth listened with awe, to tales of fairies 
bringing forth marvelous transformations by their 
wands, which, as I grew older, I learned were stories 
of fancy. But the power I had seen in these fanciful 
tales, I here saw in fact; for after men had drunk of 
these waters, it transformed them into brutes. The 
just it made unjust; the pure it made impure; the hon- 
est it made dishonest; and the virtuous it made vicious. 
There was, however, this difference between the power 
of the fairy and the river. The fairy, after transform- 
ing an object into another thing, could change it back. 
Not so with the river; it could change men into brutes, 
but it could not change them back to men. 

To do what the river could not do, a number of 
paths led from this incline to the Way of Life. These 
were called Refuge paths, because they were the only 
way of escape from these destroying waters. An in- 
scription was seen at the beginning of each path, which 
read : ' Flee hither, for Heaven only can save you from 
this curse." True, these paths were not much resorted 
to; but when they were, they always proved sufficient 
to deliver all who devoutly and persistently sought to 
escape. The guide said that not one turned back to re- 
main who had faithfully used the exalted means af- 
forded by these paths. Some had indeed turned back 
forever, but he said the fault was their own. 

We endeavored to persuade the inhabitants to enter 
the Way of Life. We informed them that as they 
journeyed down these inclines, they would rind the 
paths which led to the Way of Life less and less fre- 
quented as they went on, until they would be almost 
totally abandoned. We told them that if they did not 
soon turn from this course, they would be too far down 
to turn at all. We assured them that the temporal 



AN ALLEGORY. 



83 



death which they were inducing would end in an eter- 
nal death; and that the temporal hell which they were 
realizing would end in an eternal hell. We argued 
with them, we urged them, we prayed them to turn 
ere it was too late. Our efforts, in the main, were un- 
successful, but we persuaded a very few sufficiently to 
save them. We labored hard; for we knew that far- 
ther down the by-path our success would be even less. 

EXCESS SINK. 

We now reached a place called Excess Sink. It was 
so called because it was one of the sloughs into which 
Excess Incline brought men. They had risen tempo- 
rarily from the quagmire, but only to be plunged into 
a more miry place in this more sloping incline. This 
sink was located half-way down the incline, and trav- 
elers had half forgotten the experience of the quagmire. 
But though past experience was not fresh in mind, the 
effects remained. Therefore, as . Moderation Incline 
brought the traveler to the serious consequences of the 
quagmire, so .the two inclines brought them to the 
double effects at Excess Sink. True, they did not look 
for this disaster, yet had they been a reasoning people, 
they would have foreseen it. Into this place men sank 
deeper and remained longer than in the former. The 
guide said that there were two reasons for this. One 
was that men were losing themselves, that is, their will, 
principle, and pride. The other was that they were 
drinking more and more from the river, and were grad- 
ually losing strength to extricate themselves from such 
places. In attempting to escape, some would fall back 
into the sink, going even deeper than before, so that a 
number of trials were necessary before the worst could 
deliver themselves. But, alas! when out of this and 
pursuing the by-path, still worse places awaited them ; 
for the by-path grew worse, not better. On emerging 
from this sink, the clays, which have before been men- 
tioned, adhered afresh to them, indicating that the 
malignant features of their character had been inten- 
sified by the sink. 



84 



THE WAY OF LIFE: 



A striking feature of Excess Sink was that it was 
the beginning of a miry sluice, which ran the whole 
length of the by-path. Some entered this sluice from 
the sink, and were always dragging along in its mire, 
never rising to the firmer soil of sobriety. They fol- 
lowed this throughout, from one evil to another, until 
they finally died in it. 

Very benevolently, a Refuge Path had been made 
from Excess Sink to the Way of Life, so that those 
who desired a lasting deliverance from this wretched 
slough and the long-continued sluice, might have it. 
A few sought this path, and found a relief which the 
most favored spot in the by-path could never have af- 
forded. Indeed, the very despair of the place drove a 
few into the path. At these points the path to the Way 
of Life was very ascending and rather difficult, not be- 
cause the Way of Life was not open and free to all, for it 
was, but because the by-paths were becoming lower and 
lower, and were more hedged about by their own de- 
pressed condition. Besides, more or less darkness sur- 
rounded these sloughs, so that there seemed, at first 
thought, but little hope. 

But there was one redeeming feature which gave 
great encouragement to those who sought these paths. 
No sooner had they entered them than the Sun of 
Righteousness began to pour upon them his enlighten- 
ing and transforming rays. Thus enlightened, they 
were enabled to reach the Way of Life. When this 
was reached, they were more secure, but not altogether 
free from temptation. Such, however, was the charac- 
ter of the Way of Life, that the pilgrims could over- 
come the temptations of the way ; while in the by-path 
the temptations overcame them. The slightest tempta- 
tion to those in the by-path to partake of the waters 
of the river, brought them to intoxication. If they re- 
sisted at all, their resistance was soon subdued ; for they 
had only human strength, and this had a constant ten- 
dency to intemperance. But he who entered the Way 
of Life was given various powers by which to conquer. 
The two instruments furnished to each, which were the 



AN ALLEGOKY. 



85 



same as mine, together with the attractive and trans- 
forming orb of the Sun of Righteousness, were suffi- 
cient to deliver all who earnestly sought salvation. 
True, occasionally one relapsed into his former state; 
but if he was honest, the powers of the Way of Life fi- 
nally brought him back, so that whoever sincerely 
sought salvation from this by-path, was enabled to find 
it, however difficult at times it might be. 

CONSUMMATION SINK. 

At the lower end of this incline we reached Consum- 
mation Sink. This name was given it because it was 
the complete product of the evils of Excess Incline. 
Here men reached their lowest degradation. To go far- 
ther at the same slope of the incline would be certain 
death. As it was, many died in this sink, while it was 
a fact that many died of these waters along the by-path, 
before reaching it. Here men wallowed and mired aud 
sank, and drank again to sink still lower, until they 
sank out of sight, and were lost forever. Two reasons 
were ascribed for this. One was, that as they became 
heavier with drink, they were more inclined to sink. 
The other was, that as they went down these inclines, 
each succeeding slough became softer, and when this 
last was reached, it was found extremely miry. There- 
fore many, when they reached this, went down to rise 
no more. It was a fact, that in such places their in- 
creased drink and revelry helped to sink them out of 
sight. 

But notwithstanding the despair of the place, a Ref- 
uge Path led from it to the Way of Life. It might 
at first seem a useless thing, but it was not. Al- 
though it was partly overgrown, yet occasionally a 
poor, abandoned, broken, sinful wretch could be seen 
climbing from the filth and mire of the sink, and 
tremblingly wending his way along the path to the 
Way of Life. But no matter how vile he was, or how 
completely abandoned by man, as soon as he entered 
the divine path, the Sun of Righteousness touched his 
7 



86 



THE WAY OF LIFE: 



eyes and enlightened him more and more as he moved 
slowly on to the Way of Life, and thence to heaven. 
The appetite which these intoxicating waters had 
created was modified, but not altogether extinguished 
by the transforming rays of the Sun of Righteousness. 
It followed some without abatement until their death. 
Yet the means which were provided for each, were 
sufficient to enable them to conquer the strongest crav- 
ings if they kept in the Way of Life. But no sooner 
did they leave it than these powerful means began to 
wane, and if they did not return, failed altogether. 
They were ever safe within the way, but not for a 
moment without. Theirs was a dangerous enemy, and 
it was certain to conquer when carnal weapons were 
u ed against it. Its own weapons were sharper Jand 
more re-istless than any mortal man could invent to 
counteract them. 

As soon as these pilgrims entered the Refuge Path, 
the clays that had been accumulating along the incline, 
and had become very noticeable upon their persons, 
began to disappear, and finally were washed away by 
the King's blood ; for the clays did not express the ap- 
petite of these persons, but the character which the 
appetite begot when indulged in Intemperance By- 
Path. True, these clays had become intensely adhe- 
sive to them, but the blood of the King penetrated so 
much deeper that it was sufficient to wash them all 
away. But for this mysterious blood, these clays must 
have increased forever. When the cleansing was done, 
the very flesh began to improve, so that the person 
was finally made whiter and purer and more beautiful 
than if he had not been thus soiled ; not that the 
clays improved him, but the cleansing did. Indeed, 
the man became stronger and more efficient with ref- 
erence to the King w T hose blood had healed him, tlfan 
he would otherwise have been ; not by the disease, but 
by the remedy which the disease necessitated. 

We labored long and hard to influence men to leave 
this sink, and pursue the better way. But they were 
so averse to the divine, and so deeply sunk in the mire, 



AN ALLEGORY. 



87 



that only a very few were saved by us. For these 
few, however, we were profoundly grateful. 

CRYSTALLIZATION INCLINE. 

Our labors over, we traveled on, and immediately 
came upon Crystallization Incline. This name was 
given it, because those who reached it became crystal- 
lized in intemperance and its effects. This incline was 
not as descending as some of the others ; for had it 
been, immediate destruction would have followed ; yet 
it was more hopeless than all the rest. If they would 
not leave the former inclines for a better way, this, in 
the main, they could not leave. What they voluntarily 
chose in the first, they followed of necessity in the last. 

Still, despite the almost complete hopelessness of this 
incline, Refuge paths ran from it to the Way of Life, 
affording opportunity for salvation even at the eleventh 
hour. The guide remarked, as he saw these paths, 
that God was more anxious to save than man was to 
be saved. But he added that the cause of the failure 
of man's salvation was due to the fact that the way 
of salvation was God's, and not man's. "If." he con- 
tinued, "man could be saved by following these by- 
paths, all would be brought in, but as he has another 
way, man will not accept it, even though it be infi- 
nitely better." 

The effects of the debauchery of the former inclines 
were unhappily felt in this. If in the first incline the 
travelers were tilled with pleasure, in this they were 
filled with misery. If in the first they were full of 
health, here they were broken down by disease. De- 
lirium tremens, fits, and other diseases were entailed 
upon those in this incline. Indeed, this was the shore 
on which the ocean of Intemperance By- Path washed 
its wrecks. Here reform ceased ; here hope was ex- 
tinguished ; here the drunkard came to his death. 
Millions, who in the midst of intemperance, fostered a 
faint hope of better things, came to this cold, hard in- 
cline, only to be plunged into a state that is hopeless 



88 



THE WAY OF LIFE: 



and a world that is worse. Many who began youth 
in gladness, here ended life in the fear of a dread be- 
yond. Truly, it seemed like the last step to perdition. 

Men could not drink to excess here, as in the former 
by-paths, for fear of immediate death, so diseased were 
their bodies ; but the same craving was within them. 
Moreover, their appetite, which once could have been 
extinguished, was now fixed for life. They could not, 
without fear of destruction, gratify the taste which 
they had all their lives been creating. Hence an un- 
rest was constantly felt, which they were as constantly 
seeking in some way to satisfy ; yet they were never 
able fully to succeed. But, despite the fact that those 
of this incline could not drink to the excess of former 
times, they did sometimes drink to intoxication. This 
led them on, though more slowly, to certain destruction. 

TREMENS TERMINUS. 

Finally we arrived at Tremens Terminus. I thought 
I had seen some wretched places along this by-path, 
but this was the most deplorable and the saddest of all. 
It was the consummation of the united ills of the by- 
path. This dilapidated village was a place of the most 
wretched character. It stood upon a low, marshy 
place, and the ground was so wet and soft that houses 
often sank out of sight. The roofs of these, wretched 
abodes were thatched with straw. Many of the doors 
were only leaned against the opening. Those that 
were hung, swung on wooden or leather hinges, and 
were fastened with the same kind of latches. Most of 
the houses were one story, and seemed more like the 
abodes of cattle than of men. 

This place, wretched as it was, served more than one 
purpose. It was a so-called home,' it was a hospital, 
an insane asylum, an inebriate asylum, a poor-house, a 
deaf and dumb asylum, a blind asylum, a refuge for 
vice, and lastly a morgue for the dead. As its name 
suggests, it was the home of that dread disease, delir- 
ium tremens. Here men raged and tore themselves 



AN ALLEGOEY. 



89 



in awful agony. They thought they were menaced by 
wild beasts, by hissing serpents, and by tormenting 
devils. They ran, but they could not escape from 
them ; they fought, but they could not overcome them. 
They called piteously for help, but it did not come. 
Indeed, it seemed as though they were foretasting the 
torments of perdition before they had reached that 
place. Some stalked feebly about ; others were con- 
fined on cots of straw, covered with rags. 

The wives and children of these wretches, half- 
naked and half-starved, were seen in the corners of 
these dark abodes, sitting in sadness, benumbed with 
cold. The furniture was old and broken. A few 
fagots smouldered on the hearth. The moaning of the 
orphan and the complaint of the widow were often 
heard. The groans and agony of the dying filled the 
air as tremens brought the life of the drunkard to a 
close. 

The drinker was not alone in this vile den ; but here 
also was the man who sold that which had brought 
ruin upon his neighbors, and which he. had brought 
also on himself ; and the misery which he caused the 
wife and children of others, his family also felt. In- 
deed, the seller had most to bear ; for he endured not 
only the suffering from his own intemperate way, but 
he had to bear the consciousness of causing multitudes 
of others to suffer. The cry of the distressed, the 
tattered garments of the poor, the wail of the dying, 
all brought to his ears a double pain ; for he both suf- 
fered them himself, and realized that he had brought 
them upon others. 

But notwithstanding the abandoned character of the 
terminus, a Refuge Path led from it to the Way of 
Life, showing the marvelous mercy of the King to 
whose country we' were traveling. But the appetite 
was too strong, the curse too deep, the sin too great, to 
hope for many. Very few accepted the opportunity of 
the Refuge Path, and only now and then one pursued 
it to the end. More than this number temporarily ran 
into the path, but the tide of appetite, disease, and as- 



90 



THE WAY OF LIFE: 



sociations soon brought tlieui back. Hopelessness 
reigned almost supreme in the place, with reference 
both to this world and the world to come. 

I told the guide that I had never before seen such 
mingling of despair and misery. He replied that I 
never would again on earth, but that I would see far 
greater in another world. Because of this despair, the 
Refuge Path was overgrown and little cared for, and 
all our efforts to persuade the drunkard to walk therein 
were next to unavailing. Still the fact that souls were 
saved or lost to all eternity, constrained us to labor on 
for a time at the Terminus, remembering what deliver- 
ance and what boundless joys would come to the soul 
of one redeemed sinner. One difficulty was, that these 
men, who had been ever occupied in gratifying their 
appetites in former years, were now occupied with the 
pangs which these appetites had brought. Both were 
things of the flesh, and both precluded the influence of 
the Spirit, the first by sin, the next by its effects. 

As we were about to leave this by-path, the guide 
remarked that it was to some extent the product of all 
the former by-paths. He said that although it was 
externally unlike the rest, yet such was its sinful 
character that it had in part sprung from them, that 
they were all allied in sin, and were the product one of 
another. He continued : " It came as an evolution 
from sin, and is one of its offspring. As virtue pro- 
duces virtue, and as piety produces piety, the last ris- 
ing higher and higher, so sin produces sin, falling 
lower and lower in its character. Hence we came to 
this by-path, which is another step in the progress of 
sin. It is one of the links in an eternal chain. The 
beginning of this chain is in this world, but the other 
end is in a world that is worse." 

I felt gratified for being brought through this by- 
path without corruption by its vice, and with some 
little success in our labors in saving souls. During our 
journey in these intemperate inclines, I prayed and 
watched and labored, reading frequently from my 
" Volume of Life," and especially those passages which 



AN ALLEGORY. 



91 



were warnings against the temptations and vice which 
surrounded me ; for I realized that, although I had 
traveled some distance toward heaven, I was still sub- 
ject to temptations, and in my labors to save men still 
needed the assistance of a higher power. 

The benefits of these devotions were threefold : First, 
they elevated me to some degree above these tempta- 
tions, so that I did not feel them so strongly ; secondly, 
they gave me strength to resist what temptation I did 
feel ; thirdly, they gave me zeal, wisdom, and perse- 
verance in the work of saving souls. Without these 
devotions my journey in the Way of Life would have 
utterly failed ; for the by-paths brought mountains of 
temptations, which they enabled me to surmount ; they 
brought misusage, which they enabled me to endure ; 
they brought depressions, but my devotions gave me 
cheer ; they brought labor, but my devotions gave me 
strength. As I journeyed, one by-path beset me with 
one sin, and another with another sin ; but these devo- 
tions were sufficient for them all. I engaged in them 
day by day and hour by hour ; but they were more 
especially fervent when my temptations and labors 
were the greatest. Intemperance By- Path offered 
temptation from which there was no certain deliver- 
ance, except in these devotions and in spiritual wis- 
dom. This was true of other by-paths, but especially 
so of this. So strong were its social relations, so burn- 
ing its appetite, so raging its passions, so deceptive its 
allurements, so seductive its character, that grace and 
spiritual wisdom alone were sufficient for it. 

CONSUMMATION BY-PATH. 

On leaving Tremens Terminus, we entered Consum- 
mation By-Path. It was so called, because it was the 
end of all the by-paths. When the end of this was 
reached, the guide said it would conclude my journey 
in Worldly Valley. As this was the end of all the by- 
paths, so it combined the evils of them all. Each of 
the former by-paths had a special evil of its own, but 



92 



THE WAY OF LIFE : 



these evils had a tendency to unite. Such is the nature 
of sin, that the sins which seem far distant from one 
another are in some way connected, and are at some 
time liable to unite. Sinful men often despise others 
for their sins, yet eventually reach those very sins 
themselves. There was also a strong tendency in these 
by-paths to multiply their evils. But this was not 
fully shown until this by-path was reached. The seeds 
were sown in the former paths — the fruits were rip- 
ened in this. The seeds of the earth do not more 
greatly multiply than these evils ; yet the evils, like 
the seeds, require time to ripen. The evils of the ear- 
lier by-paths were felt in those that followed, but it 
was not until they reached this that they became most 
malignant. Moreover, some of the evils in the earlier 
by-paths were somewhat changeable and uncertain, 
but those that reached this became as fixed as life itself. 
In those, they were tasted ; in this, they were adopted. 
In those, they had their birth and partial growth ; in 
this, their maturity. In the former they made these 
vices their subjects; in the latter they were the sub- 
jects of the vices. Regret and sorrow were often ex- 
pressed for this bondage ; but the vices had no mercy, 
and the evils showed them no sympathy. As they had 
held persistently to these evils, the evils in turn were 
holding persistently to them. They had most of the 
time clung to the vices for this world, and the vices 
were now clinging to them for the next. 

As this was the consummation of all the by-paths, so 
it was the end of nearly all the hopes which might have 
lingered in them. As I said in former chapters, 
Worldly Valley was constantly deepening, while the 
Way of Life was constantly ascending. Hence the 
distance between them was ever gradually increasing. 
Therefore at this, the last by-path, they had become 
more widely separated than at any other place. This 
was aggravated by the fact that it was largely a dis- 
tance of hight and depth, making the Way of Life less 
accessible than it otherwise would have been. As the 
increasing elevation of the Way of Life encouraged and 



AN ALLEGORY. 



93 



cheered those therein, so the decline of Worldly Valley 
depressed and discouraged its inhabitants with reference 
to the higher and better way. But this was not all. 
As the long-accumulating prayers, devotions, virtues, 
and good works, sustained the pilgrims more and more 
in the Way of Life, so the long-accumulating sins of un- 
belief, vice, and evil of this Consummation By-Path, 
held its inhabitants down to its low place. 

The different characters of the former by-paths pro- 
duced different and unhappy results upon this, the last. 
One or more would combine and bring forth more bit- 
ter fruits at this stage. They were bitter because they 
then had time to ripen. 

DOMESTIC VALLEY. 

After traveling a distance in this by-path, we came 
to Domestic Yalley. This was a deep, dark valley 
which lay directly in the way of the by-path. The 
guide said that it was the experience of men, that the 
descent into this valley was easy, but that the ascent 
from it was difficult. 

I was greatly surprised on entering this place ; first, 
because I found it a valley of ruins, and secondly, be- 
eause of its original altitude and beauty. The guide 
explained that this valley was once a mountain, cov- 
ered with beautiful farms, charming villages, placid 
lakes, dense forests, boiling springs, rippling streams, 
and happy homes. From its productive soil sprang 
every fruit and vegetable and flower. In short, the 
mountain provided all that was necessary to make the 
home happy and life enjoyable. 

But, alas! a change came. As time passed on, the 
families of the mountain foolishly became dissatisfied 
with their lot. They resorted more or less to all the 
by-paths, but more especially to Pleasure, Liberal, and 
Intemperance by-paths. The results were unhappy. 
In Intemperance By-Path they began the use of strong 
drinks, which so disordered them that they lost their 
interest in, and became alienated from, one another. 



94 



THE WAY OF LIFE: 



In Pleasure By-Path they imbibed pleasures which were 
prejudicial to domestic sympathy, and which took the 
place of domestic joys. In Liberal By-Path they lost 
* the moral and religious doctrines which once restrained 
them. 

After this had continued some time, low, rumbling 
sounds occasionally rolled along the ground from the 
by-path onto the mountain, which caused a slight tre- 
mor to be felt by its inhabitants. This continued for a 
period, when suddenly one day a heavy roar was heard ; 
then the mountain shook like an aspen leaf, and all at 
once went down with a tremendous crash. 

This was the end of domestic happiness. The fall of 
the mountain ruined the dwellings, and scattered their 
occupants. Want dwelt where there had been plenty; 
contention, where there had been peace; impurity, 
where there had been purity; deception, where there 
had been truth ; and unrighteousness, where there had 
been righteousness. As the mountain had gone down, 
so these homes had gone down, and as the mountain 
could not be restored, neither could these homes. This 
complete destruction was because the evils of all the by- 
paths were combined against the mountain; they had 
been silently undermining it for years, and conse- 
quently when destruction came, it was complete and 
irrevocable. It was irrevocable because the evils which 
they had imbibed had become stronger than the moral 
and religious principles which formerly preserved them 
in love and happiness, — not that religious principles 
are weaker than evil, but that the inhabitants of the 
mountain had deliberately relaxed their hold upon the 
first, and strengthened their hold upon the last. 

After the fall of the mountain, a few families re- 
united ; but the reunion was only temporary with most 
of them; for their spirit had become so changed by the 
influence of the by-paths, and from the effect of the fall 
of the mountain, that their lives had become offensive 
to one another. Before the mountain fell, a broad path 
led from it to the Way of Life. It was used so much 
as to be well worn. Through this path, communica- 



AN ALLEGORY. 



05 



tion from the mountain with the better way, was con- 
stant. From this better way the mountain derived its 
religious and moral principles, and, as a consequence, 
it encouraged domestic felicity. But when the people 
began resorting to the by-paths, this well-worn and 
beneficent path began to be neglected. Eventually, 
while the mountain was standing, the path became par- 
tially overgrown, but after its fall, it became almost 
obliterated. Before the mountain fell, its high altitude 
made it very accessible to the Way of Life, as the Way 
of Life was high; but after the mountain fell, it be- 
came much more accessible to the by-paths, because 
more nearly on a level with them. Hence the broad 
and deeply worn path that led from the mountain to 
the better way, while standing, could not be found by 
some of the oldest inhabitants after its fall. The in- 
habitants, therefore, of Domestic Valley knew scarcely 
anything of the better way, while they were perfectly 
familiar with ways that were worse The genera- 
tion that was once familiar with the Way of Life had 
passed away, and to the generation that I saw in the 
valley, it was but little more than a tradition. True, 
it was accessible to all, but practically they were stran- 
gers to it. 

Besides the adverse conditions of the valley I have 
mentioned, I will state another. Domestic Valley had 
a notoriety in the by-paths for its fallen and unhappy 
inhabitants, and thereby drew to itself unscrupulous 
and cunning men, who preyed upon the character and 
worldly fortunes of its inhabitants, thereby aggravat- 
ing the misery, which was already too great. In- 
deed, it seemed that, as everything had conspired to 
enhance the happiness of domestic life on the mountain, 
before the inhabitants left the Way of Life, so every- 
thing was now conspiring to increase their unhappi- 
ness. 

As we passed through this broken and unhappy val- 
ley, I was greatly impressed with one thing that met 
my eyes, and that was the introduction of certain prac- 
tices and articles from the by-paths, and especially from 



96 



THE WAY OF LIFE : 



Pleasure and Intemperance paths. The shock which 
the mountain received had exposed these things, which 
were before concealed. At one residence, cards, a bill- 
iard table, and a dancing establishment had, by chance, 
been exposed by the earthquake. These had been in- 
troduced from Pleasure By-Path. In this vicinity there 
was a house of worse character, which was a sort of 
accompaniment to these things. In another neighbor- 
hood the convulsions had so broken the dwellings as to 
expose several liquor stills, and many bottles and kegs 
in which strong drink was kept. These came origi- 
nally from Intemperance By-Path. Some of these in- 
habitants were also patrons of the aforesaid house. In 
one place a liberal church was located. Here the earth- 
quake had exposed considerable literature to view, 
which was the product of the church. This literature 
was directly or indirectly favorable to free-love, to di- 
vorce, to affinity after marriage, and even to marriage 
as a temporary contract. The guide said that this was 
one cause of the domestic unhappiness of this valley. 

The other by-paths also exerted an unfavorable in- 
fluence, though in a less degree, upon the mountain, 
thus aiding in its fall. Wealth By-Path eventually 
brought excessive luxury. This luxury was followed 
by debauchery, and general debauchery helped also to 
debauch their domestic life. Popularity By-Path 
created more love among the married for the applause 
of the world than for the commendation of each other. 

As we journeyed in the valley, we suddenly came 
upon a remarkable phenomenon. This was two rivers, 
rising from springs which were side by side, and flow- 
ing in opposite directions. Before the mountain fell, 
these springs were one, called Union Spring, and 
mingled their waters in one river, called Affection 
River. The waters were then partially sweet. When 
the people began resorting to the by-paths, and the 
tremors began to be felt on the mountain, this spring 
commenced to divide, and after the mountain fell, it 
became two springs. After this, their waters were 
bitter. On one of the streams from these springs, hus- 



AN ALLEGORY. 



97 



bands could be seen gliding rapidly away in one direc- 
tion ; on the other, wives were moving as swiftly in 
another. Although these rivers flowed in opposite di- 
rections, the guide said they both ultimately emptied 
their vicious waters into Lake Perdition. This phe- 
nomenon greatly impressed me with the varied and 
far-reaching effects of the by-paths. 

As we passed along, the guide startled me with the 
announcement that this valley was still settling, and 
that each year found it a little lower than the year pre- 
ceding. He said that now that the mountain was down 
in the valley, it was more subject to the by-paths than 
it was w T hen standing, although less noticeable because 
less prominent. The convulsions may not have been 
so great, but were more constant than before. I in- 
quired if there was no remedy for this sinking. The 
guide answered that if some great revolution in nature 
should cause these by-paths to sink, it would, by the 
same power, cause the valley to rise to a mountain 
again. As the by-paths had sunk the mountain, a 
counteracting power, which would sink the by-paths, 
would of necessity bring the mountain up. Such was 
the character of these things. He said the by-paths 
had held their sway so long, and had wrought their 
evil so deeply, that any change for the better was im- 
probable. 

Passing on, we came to long, deep chasms in the 
earth, called Contention Chasms. These chasms first 
began when the people of the mountain began to 
abandon the Way of Life. They were somewhat in- 
creased by the tremors that followed, and when the 
mountain fell, they were made still greater. As we 
approached, I saw smoke ascending, and on peering 
into the chasms, I saw fires along the distant bottom, 
which were called hate-fires. Hot, acrid, stifling fumes 
came up from these fires, and mingling with the 
smoke, spread their unpleasant odors far through the 
valley. Those who had, years before, spoken of love, 
now spoke of hatred. Those who before had spoken 
of union, now spoke of divorce. Those who before 



98 



THE WAY OF LIFE: 



had dwelt upon the joys of domestic life, now be- 
moaned its increasing miseries Those who had antici- 
pated passing a serene old age in quiet with their chil- 
dren, now found these children in the same domestic 
unhappiness as themselves. I inquired of the guide if, 
all things considered, it was not better for those who 
are well able in every way, to remain unmarried, and 
devote themselves to the glory of God and the salvation 
of souls. He replied that it was, and that by so doing 
their opportunity for saving souls would be increased, 
and many of the miseries of life would be avoided. 

As we left the valley, I could not help reflecting on 
the increasing distance between the by-paths and the 
Way of Life. In the early stage of my journe} 7 the 
by-paths would at first run near to, and nearly paral- 
lel with, the divine pathway. Now they were far be- 
low, and distant from it. Furthermore, in the begin- 
ning they were quite similar to the Way of Life, but 
now were very unlike it. But I had learned by this 
time that these by-paths were deceptive, and that 
whatever of good they promised in the beginning, 
their end was always evil. 

DEPRAVITY CENTER. 

We had not proceeded far when we came to De- 
pravity Center. It was -thus named because its in- 
habitants were the representatives of the concentrated 
evils of all the by-paths The buildings were erected 
near to each other, all forming a circle, suggestive of 
the uniting tendency of the by-paths. The houses 
were called Wealth residence, Pleasure residence, Popu- 
larity residence, Liberal residence, Intemperance resi- 
dence, etc. A strange fact was that the citizens of this 
place were all relatives, ami were called the Depravity 
family. Each family had formerly resided in the by- 
path whose name they bore, imbibing its spirit The 
tendency of the by-paths was ultimately to unite their 
evils ; hence we came to Depravity Center. By this 
natural union, the evils of all the by-paths were more 



AN ALLEGORY. 



99 



or less felt in each person. Wherein one path did not 
produce depravity, another would, by the preponder- 
ance of evil in persons from other paths. Those who 
had drunk from Wealth By-Path, imparted a grasping 
spirit to all the rest. Those who had been in Pleasure 
By- Path, imparted a desire for pleasure in each of the 
others. Popularity By-Path produced a vain desire in 
all for praise and applause. Liberal By-Path infected 
each with those loose notions of Liberalism which, either 
directly or indirectly, gave license to all the rest. In- 
temperance By-Path was the stimulant and vicious aid 
of each. Thus were the inhabitants of each of the by- 
paths brought to depravity by all the rest. I learned 
at Depravity Center that all the evils of Worldly Val- 
ley ultimately took more or less possession of each in- 
habitant. Thus I saw it was that men became de- 
praved. 

Formerly, the inhabitants of each by-path despised 
the evils of the other paths ; but here they embraced 
them all. The citizens of Wealth By-Path were ever 
sneering at those in Pleasure, Popularity, Liberal, Lit- 
erary, and Intemperance paths. Those of Pleasure By- 
Path spoke lightly of the people of Wealth, Popularity, 
and the other paths. So each berated the others. 

Depravity Center was composed of the worst per- 
sons ; indeed, their character could be seen in their 
faces. I had seen some of them in the former by- 
paths, but now they looked much worse. The faces I 
saw in each by-path now revealed the lineaments of all 
the others. Such was the countenance of these people 
that I had some fear of them. Still I opened my 
"Volume of Life," and read a number of passages 
which I thought might be suited to their case ; but the 
words fell dead upon their ears. The guide praised my 
love for them, but said they were beyond hope. He 
then requested me to look at my thermometer, which 
he said would convince me. Drawing forth the in- 
strument, I discovered that it stood many degrees be- 
low zero, and hence I saw their condition was hopeless. 
They were in reality frozen in sin. 



100 



THE WAY OF LIFE : 



The dwellings at this place were so made as to be 
be* conveniently interchangeable. Wealth family some- 
times dwelt in the house of Pleasure family, Pleasure 
family in the residence of Popularity family, Popu- 
larity family in the residence of the Liberalists, and 
the Liberalists in Intemperance house, so familiar 
had these once different spirits now become with 
one another. On entering these dwellings, I found 
that their furniture largely revealed the character of 
their inhabitants. 

The family from Wealth By-Path, although always 
having had an inordinate love of wealth, and, at an 
earlier period, not having used just the right means to 
acquire it, now resorted to any means for money. Their 
residence was tilled with every kind of appliance for 
gambling, deceiving, robbing, and murdering. There 
was but little attempt at concealment of these things; 
for all the inhabitants here were familiar with them. 

The family from Pleasure By-Path had begun indul- 
gence in that path on a small scale; but when they 
reached this place, there was no indulgence too low, no 
pleasure too great, for them. Their residence showed 
them to be a family given to vile gratification and ex- 
clusive pleasure at any cost or sacrifice. It abounded 
in an outfit of furniture suited to this end. Some of 
this furniture was of a somewhat higher character, used 
at an earlier period; but the rest, which had been 
added later, showed a degeneration to a lower order. The 
residence of the family was filled with the most degrad- 
ing articles for their gratification. Every low game 
and every vile way had some kind of representative 
about their house. It showed that the family had 
greatly degenerated in life. 

The house of the family from Popularity By-Path 
showed that it had undergone a like decline. Once 
anxious for the applause of all, they cared for nothing 
now, but the approval of the low, the vicious, the crim- 
inal. Accordingly, we found their house appointed to 
suit the pleasure of all the fallen horde who might 
^ come in. 



AN ALLEGORY. 



101 



Liberal family had also degenerated. They began 
as moderate liberalists, but now they had reached great 
extremes. Their library was filled with works of the 
most diverse and flagrant infidel character. Moreover, 
on examining a kind of secret library, kept in a closet 
for more private use, I discovered the works to be the 
most licentious, dishonest, and suspicious. The family 
had reaped the degrading fruits of liberalism. 

Intemperance family was next visited, and found in 
a most wretched plight. Their chief furniture con- 
sisted of sideboards, filled with nearly exhausted bottles. 
Their other furniture was scanty and broken, and the 
house presented a wretched appearance. The guide said 
these things showed two facts : First, that all evils had 
a tendency to unite, and deprave men ; second, that 
the downward tendency of evil was unlimited and per- 
petual. He intimated that the time would come when 
Depravity Center would surfer destruction in conse- 
quence of this ever-increasing depravity. He also in- 
timated that this ever-increasing sinfulness in the heart 
was one cause of the sinner's everlasting banishment 
from God. So far had these by-paths carried their in- 
habitants, that when they reached Depravity Center, 
there was scarcely an evil in which some of them did 
not join, or a sin of which others were not guilty; while 
some were simply hard and relentless. 

As we stood gazing in the midst of this deplorable 
scene, we felt a tremor of the earth, accompanied by a 
muttering thunder. This was followed by another, and 
another still heavier. This greatly startled me. Al- 
though the inhabitants did not appear alarmed, they 
looked apprehensive, as if expecting some dread event 
in the future. In alarm I inquired what this all meant. 
The guide coolly answered that it was not intended for 
us, but was designed to warn these depraved inhabitants 
of a coming judgment. 

I had supposed that in consequence of the depraved 
condition of these people, their dwellings would likewise 
be in a dilapidated condition. Some, of them, however, 
were elegantly kept, as if the more to tempt to increased 

8 



102 



THE WAY OF LIFE: 



sinfulness. Their very elegance intensified the corrupt 
life of their occupants. Hence we sometimes found the 
worst families in the best houses. 

It was one of the traits of these people that they ap- 
proved of everything that was wrong, while they were 
indifferent to everything that was right. Even crimes 
which they might not chance to engage in, they were 
most ready to approve. This was one evidence of their 
depravity. By this means, they were prepared to go 
from one wrong to another. Their approval of all 
wrong led to the practice of all wrong. Hence their 
depravity was ever increasing. There were no depths 
which they could not ultimately reach, no wrongs which 
they could not ultimately commit. True, they did not 
all have this appearance, but the guide said that those 
who did not were clothed with an exterior of deception, 
and that some of the worst of these depraved persons 
outwardly appeared the best. He said that whatever 
might be their external appearance, they were all in- 
wardly depraved. The character of this depravity was 
not a complete fullness in sin, from which they could 
go no farther ; but the absence of all godliness and spir- 
itual susceptibility to conversion. Having rejected all 
spiritual life, they were ready for all spiritual death. 
Having finally rejected all holiness, they were ready 
for all unholiness. Having fully rejected God, v they 
were altogether without his restraint. Hence, having 
reached the point where nothing restrained them from 
sin, they were ready for every kind of wrong. They 
had so lived as to become abandoned by God, and as a 
consequence, were beset by nearly every sin. Turning 
to my "Volume of Life," I found that it referred to 
this state of the wicked by saying: "Their poison is 
like the poison of a serpent; they are like the deaf ad- 
der that stoppeth her ear." 

I supposed that the character of these persons was 
such that they would never refer to God. Some of 
them never did, evidently desiring to shun his name as 
well as his Spirit. Others, however, often spoke of 
God ; but I noticed that their reference to him was not 



AN ALLEGOKY. 



103 



with a spirit of reverence, but rather with apprehension, 
distrust, and fear. They spoke as those who did not 
bear friendly relations to him. In whatever way his 
name was mentioned, it seemed to strike them unfa- 
vorably. His love, mercy, goodness, benevolence, and 
long-suffering, all were treated as nought. His j ustice 
only, impressed them. The guide explained that this 
was due to their depravity, which had hardened their 
hearts, and by the same means blinded their eyes. He 
said that, as they had by indulgence become so largely 
evil, and so destitute of good, they had at the same time 
so perverted their judgment, through their evil natures, 
as to be able to see only that which was evil. 

HOPELESS TERMINUS. 

Passing on, we were not long in reaching Hopeless 
Terminus. It was thus called because it was the hope- 
less end of Worldly Valley. As we came to this place, 
I experienced conflicting emotions. One emotion came 
from the fact that this was the end of Worldly Valley, 
and in the main, the end of my journey, labors, and 
temptations. The other and opposite emotion was 
caused by the sadness of the place. It was a sinful, 
suffering, hopeless end of this great valley. Here the 
disappointed came to suffer and to die. Here the in- 
habitants of Wealth By-Path at last came, in poverty 
of soul and often of purse. Here the inhabitants of 
Pleasure By-Path came, with scarcely a pleasure left. 
Here the followers of Popularity By-Path ultimately 
came, the most unpopular of all. Here the liberalists 
came, despairing of fruits from their doctrines which 
should fit man for a better world, and uncertain of that 
world themselves. Here came the poor votaries of In- 
temperance By-Path, corrupted, diseased, impoverished, 
and in rags. Alas! the end of this deceptive valley! 
Its promises had been unfulfilled. Its hopes had per- 
ished. Its pleasures had ended. It promised men 
worldly life, but it brought them both worldly and spir- 
itual death. 



104 



THE WAY OF LIFE: 



This was the worst of all the places I had seen in the 
valley; for it was the consummation of all its evils. 
It was located in a deep, round pit, called Despair Pit, 
one half of a mile across, and was completely surrounded 
by high and insurmountable mountains, called Sin 
Mountains, which culminated in several sharp, rocky, 
rigid peaks. The mountains also bore the names of 
the different by-paths, as Wealth Mountain, Pleasure 
Mountain, etc. 

Out of the foot of each of these mountains, several 
large springs boiled, bearing the name of the mountain 
from which they sprang, and representing the different 
soils of each mountain. For example, Intemperance 
Mountain had four large springs, Inebriation, Poison, 
Insanity, and Murder, each having tastes and qualities 
different from the others. The springs of each 
mountain soon united, making a river whose waters 
were bitter. Ultimately the springs of all the mount- 
ains combined in a single river, tenfold more bitter than 
the first, making a deep, narrow, rapid stream, black 
in color, called Bitter River, which flowed through the 
center of the pit. From this river, the people drank, 
but it was a strange fact that it did not quench their 
thirst. They drank, and soon returned to drink again ; 
for the river increased their thirst in many ways. En- 
mity it increased to hatred; dislike, to bitterness; doubt, 
to utter hopelessness ; apprehension, to fear. The thirst 
and bodily diseases, it only intensified. In a word, it 
was death to the inhabitants of Despair Pit. I inquired 
of the guide why this river produced such effects. He 
replied, " Because its nature is precisely the same as the 
nature of these inhabitants, and springs from the same 
sinful sources as does their depraved character ; namely, 
the by-paths whence both originally came." 

As we stood contemplating this wonderful scene, I 
was startled by a tremendous roar and sudden shaking 
of the earth, which nearly threw me to the ground. 
This was quickly followed by another, and another. 
When all was over, I excitedly inquired the cause, when 
the guide calmly bade me to fear not, as it had no ref- 



AN ALLEGORY. 



105 



erence to us, but was designed to warn the depraved in- 
habitants of Hopeless Terminus of a coming judgment. 
He said this was a similar warning to that we had heard 
given to the inhabitants of Depravity Center, except 
that this was greater, as these inhabitants were some- 
what nearer to the judgment. The people of the pit 
were not, like myself, greatly alarmed, as they had 
heard these warnings before. But they looked very 
grave and apprehensive, even more so than the inhab- 
itants of Depravity Center on a like occasion ; for the 
reminder was stronger and the judgment nearer. The 
Way of Life was a source of great joy to me in antici- 
pation of glories beyond, but these warnings greatly im- 
pressed me, reminding me of the dreadful end of the 
in j penitent. 

This place was called Hopeless Terminus, because it 
was the hopeless end of all the by-paths. Men who had 
started in high worldly expectation at the beginning of 
the by-paths, here at the end found themselves in ut- 
ter despair. The deep pit, the surrounding high and 
impenetrable mountains, the Bitter River, which in- 
fected even the grains that supplied them food, added 
to the fact that these mountains were high enough to 
render the place so dark as sometimes to necessitate the 
use of lamps by day. In fact, lamps were needed most 
of the time. Worldly Valley was everywhere dark, 
but this was the consummation of its darkness. Hence 
the utter hopelessness of the place from these conditions 
can be seen. It was a cutting consideration that they 
had themselves sought the barriers with which they 
were surrounded, and entered the otherwise hopeless 
condition to which they had come. They may not have 
desired them, but they most determinedly followed the 
by-paths which led to them. Hence they charged these 
things back on themselves. 

The followers of Wealth By-Path came here im- 
poverished, to die, with no hope of wealth. The vota- 
ries of Pleasure By-Path came here to die, with no ex- 
pectation of enjoyment. The inhabitants of Popu- 
larity By-Path found themselves here without the pos- 



106 



THE WAY OF LIFE: 



sibility of popular applause. The representatives of 
Liberal By-Path found their doctrines forever exploded 
in this place. Those from Literary By-Path followed 
the mazes of that way, until they came to the still 
more impenetrable surroundings of this. Those from 
Intemperance By-Path must forever drink their nau- 
seous draught from the Bitter River. Here men came 
hopeless, to languish and die. It was the penitentiary 
of all the by-paths. But it differed from other peni- 
tentiaries in two respects : First, its convicts for sin 
•were self -imprisoned, they having deliberately chosen 
the paths which they knew would bring them directly 
to this place ; second, the} 7 were life prisoners, without 
the possibility of ever escaping, although there was no 
armed sentinel keeping the gate. The eternal Sin 
Mountains were their guards, from which there was no 
escape. 

As we were passing around the outside of these 
mountains, a most remarkable discovery met our eyes, 
which displayed at once the long-suffering of God, and 
the obstinancy and hopelessness of these inhabitants. 
In the base of the mountains next to the Way of Life, 
we found an excavation, which once extended through 
to the pit. This was large enough so that a man, by 
humbling himself, could pass through to the Way of 
Life. Over this passage were these words : " Turn ye, 
turn ye, why will ye die ? " On entering the inside of 
Hopeless Terminus, I inspected the place where the pas- 
sage had opened into it. To my astonishment, it had 
been completely and firmly closed by the inhabitants 
with heavy cut stones. The foundation stone which 
closed this opening was hard flint, and on the surface 
were inscribed the words, "Natural Depravity." The 
next stone resting upon this was a loadstone, which 
naturally attracted everything to it. On this was the 
word, " Selfishness." The next was unyielding granite, 
and on this was written, "Willfulness." The next 
was burning limestone, which bore the words, " Fires of 
Sin." The uppermost was dark brownstone, and on it 
was written, "Hopelessness." Thus these great rocks, 



AN ALLEGORY. 



107 



which the guide said here represented great sins, for- 
ever closed this passage to the Way of Life. 

This was the deliberate work of these inhabitants, 
and the guide asked if I wondered, in view of these 
things, at the thunders that warned these people of a 
coming judgment, and I replied that I did not. Fur- 
thermore, the guide said that these mountains were 
gradually growing higher, this pit deeper, the waters 
of this river more bitter, and the rocks which blocked 
the passage to the Way of Life harder and more ef- 
fectual. 

Day by day, month by month, and year by year, 
they became more and more imprisoned by the grow- 
ing mountains and sinking pit. All hope had gone for- 
ever, and despair became more and more intense. Oh, 
the unfathomable depths of their despair ! We could 
see it, but they alone could feel it. I told them of the 
Way of Life, which I was pursuing, but it was disre- 
garded. T read to them from my " Volume of Life," 
but it was unheeded. I warned them of a coming judg- 
ment, which they already knew of, but to no avail. 
Finding them thus immovable, we prepared to take 
our departure ; for our business here was to save the 
lost. But finding ourselves unable to do so, we were 
ready to pass on. 

I now felt that my long-continued labors in saving 
the lost, and my temptations, were about over, as this, 
in the main, was the end of Worldly Valley. I felt 
sad as I recalled the sinful condition of the valley, yet 
was rejoiced that I had helped to save some souls, as 
my labors and pilgrimage were ending. When I 
started on this pilgrimage, my hair was as black as the 
raven's plumage, but now it was as white as snow. 
I started in the spring-time of life, but now 1 had 
reached the winter of old age. I began the journey a 
plump and vigorous youth, now I was an emaciated 
and enfeebled old man. I had been too intent on heav- 
enly wealth to accumulate a large worldly fortune, but 
I was certain that beyond I had laid up a fortune that 
was vast and eternal. - 



108 



THE WAY OF LIFE: 



As we were about to leave, I fell upon my knees, 
and fervently thanked God that he had so long pre- 
served me in my passage through this great valley ; 
that he had aided me in temptation, succored me in 
need, and brought me so near to glory ; while I fer- 
vently prayed for his continued blessing on myself and 
on all men, to the end. 

THE MORE HEAVENLY WAY. 

We now entered what was commonly called the More 
Heavenly Way. There were two reasons why this 
was so called : First, because the Way of Life had risen 
so high as to be, in the main, free from the temptations 
of the world, as men usually feel them ; second, be- 
cause those who reached this point had attained so 
much grace that these temptations were more lightly 
felt. As we passed along, one fact greatly impressed 
me, namely, that when I kept in the pathway, not- 
withstanding my advanced age and broken constitu- 
tion, I felt as young and fresh as ever. * But did I step 
out of it, even for a short time, the infirmities of old 
age hung heavily upon me. Indeed, when in the path- 
way, I seldom thought of my white locks and broken 
form, except as I was reminded by a friend or by a 
glance into a mirror. Bat let me step out of the path- 
way, and my feelings soon told me of my many years. 

The Sun of Righteousness, which, as I have before 
said, rose as the pilgrim advanced, had now nearly 
reached the zenith of the heavens. His face had al- 
ways been glorious and attractive, but was now doubly 
so. In my earlier pilgrimage, clouds had frequently 
filled the sky, and even now it was not altogether free 
from them. But, however dark or great they were, 
his rays shot through and illumined them as if they 
had been merely glass. This was especially true to all 
who were in the Way of Life, but to all who were out 
of it, his rays were less illuminating, and his face less 
glorious. Clouds floated over them, but they were 
dark clouds. Darkness encompassed them, and they 



AN ALLEGORY. 



109 



beheld not this guiding star. .It was indeed remarka- 
ble what power this Sun of Righteousness possessed to 
those who were advanced in the Way of Life. He 
not only imparted light and healing to their souls, but 
it was said by some, that in certain cases, he imparted 
healing to their bodies. This remarkable orb gave 
sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, and new life to 
the dispirited, when these entered the divine pathway. 

Unlike the blinding disc of the natural sun, the 
Sun of Righteousness gave sight only when the eyes 
often beheld its orb, hearing only when the ears were 
opened to its charms, and life only as the person 
basked directly in its sunshine. Unlike the natural 
sun, this Sun never set to those in the Way of Life, 
but rose higher and higher, reaching the zenith as they 
reached the end of the great pathway. 

As we passed along, I noticed that the pathway had 
become easier to travel than it had ever been before. 
Obstacles that once were great, now dwindled into in- 
significance; temptations that once were strong, were 
now but slightly felt ; and losses that once were serious, 
were now more clearly seen to be gain. True, I was 
not exempt from troubles, but they were not what they 
formerly were. Pressing on and still onward in the 
gradually ascending pathway, while the Sun came still 
nearer to the zenith, I saw more distinctly than ever, 
and to my great delight, that I was approaching Him. 
The air became more balmy, and gentle zephyrs often 
fanned my brow. Fragrant flowers bloomed in my 
pathway, and the green grass became more verdant 
than before. Indeed, all nature charmed me onward 
to the end. 

I met several pilgrims here whose acquaintance I had 
made in the early part of my journey, and whose faces 
were now beaming in anticipation of the glorious end. 
I was pleased to meet them again, conscious that 1 
should meet them in the great beyond. But I felt sad 
as they informed me of the larger number who started 
with them, but who, alas! had fainted by the way. 
However, I realized that human aid to me was becom- 



110 



THE WAY OF LIFE : 



ing less and less needed, and divine aid became more 
potent as I approached the end. It was not, therefore, 
for my sake that I was saddened, but for theirs. 

On inspecting my spiritual thermometer, I found that 
the mercury stood higher than it had ever stood before, 
and that it rose as I ascended. It had been of much 
value to me , as it gave me men's exact spiritual stand- 
ing, which I could not otherwise have definitely known. 
A glance at my heavenly compass showed that the hand 
was still pointing to the Sun of Righteousness, hav- 
ing never varied a hair's breadth. I had found this in- 
strument useful, in that it indicated men's distance from 
the great Luminary and the Way of Life. My "Vol- 
ume of Life " had been next in service to the Sun of 
Righteousness; for it directed me to His kingdom, and 
gave me warning of dangers. When in Wealth By- 
Path, I studied its warnings against the allurements of 
that pathway. When in Pleasure By-Path, I studied 
its warnings against the seducing temptations therein; 
and thus .1 found cautious and wise directions for every 
mile of the various scenes through which I passed. I 
studied it daily and followed it implicitly. Never did 
it deceive me. Its directions, its wisdom, its warnings, 
its eloquence, were all as true as truth could make them. 
The instruments of which I have spoken were not more 
correct than this. I had used it so long and faithfully 
that the print had become dim, and I only kept the 
volume together by inclosing it in silken wrappings. 
Notwithstanding the dimness of the print, the rays from 
the Sun of Righteousness possessed a peculiarly illu- 
minating power by which the print, even though dim, 
could be read and the meaning understood. Thus I 
found that all my equipment received at starting was 
useful. I asked the guide if there were any substitutes 
for my instruments. He replied that the intellect di- 
rected to Christ was a substitute for the heavenly com- 
pass, and that the heart, sensitive to the influence of 
good and evil, was a substitute for the spiritual ther- 
mometer. 

It was an interesting fact that as I ascended the 



AN ALLEGOKY. 



Ill 



grade, contrary to the law of nature, the attraction of 
the earth decreased, so that on the whole, comparatively 
speaking, the ascent was easy. Hence the attraction 
of this world decreased as that of a better one increased. 
This was especially noticeable after I entered the More 
Heavenly Way. At times, gravitation appeared so 
much relaxed that I felt ready to finish my course on 
wings. This phenomenon was due to the superior at- 
traction of the Sun of Righteousness, which counter- 
acted the attraction of the world. As he was con- 
stantly rising in the heavens, his power was constantly 
increasing, and hence his counteracting effect on the 
attraction of the world. 

As a result of these things, I longed more and more 
for another world. Revelations concerning it that were 
old in my "Volume of Life," became new and fresh. 
As a child looks forward with anxiety to the coming 
events of this world, so I looked forward with joy to 
the coming glories of the next. Indeed, every year 
and every month increased my anticipations and inter- 
est in the future. I read my " Volume of "Life " very 
often, but more than ever those passages which referred 
to the future. All through my journey, I had prayed 
every hour, and had not forgotten to render praise ; but 
now my praise was the chief religious exercise, — praise 
for the blessings of the past and for the promises of the 
future. 

I had now reached my eighty-sixth year, and the 
sands of my natural life were nearly run. Notwith- 
standing this advanced age and my broken bodily con- 
dition, the exhilarating atmosphere into which I was 
constantly ascending, gave me spiritual youth and vigor, 
so that as my body grew aged, my spirit grew youth- 
ful. My natural sight grew dim, but my spiritual sight 
grew bright; my natural hearing grew dull, but my 
spiritual hearing grew acute ; my natural sensibilities 
became blunted, but my spiritual sensibilities became 
quickened. In my early life, before conversion, my 
bodily forces became greatly dominant, but now my im- 
mortal nature was nearly all that was left of me. As 



112 



THE WAY OF LIFE: 



I recalled the past, it gave me pleasure, in that it would 
add to my joy in the future. As I thought of the fut- 
ure, it gave me pleasure, in that its glory was not far 
distant. Hence, in whatever direction my mind turned, 
it brought me gratification. My infirmities caused me 
to feel that this bodily life was only a clog to my prog- 
ress, and I began to realize that death would bring a 
blessing ; for it would give liberty and opportunity to 
my spiritual being. Thus I felt that all things at this 
advanced stage were working together for my good ; 
and I often recalled the passage in my " Volume of 
Life" which read: "All things work together for good 
to them that love God " 

It was a striking fact that as the Way of Life ad- 
vanced, the pathway became somewhat deeper and 
more hedged about. This hedge came from various 
sources, and its different parts bore different names, as 
Gospel hedge, Providence hedge, Grace hedge, etc., and 
they grew along the pathway, and were a part of it, 
developing as the pathway progressed. The hedge was 
not so high and strong as absolutely to prevent the pil- 
grims from wandering out of the way ; but it was so - 
distinct and marked as to assist them in keeping in it. 
Its parts varied according to their names and charac- 
ter. The Gospel part was white in color, fragrant in 
odor, and delicate but firm in texture. The Prov- 
idence part was variegated, being both white and black, 
always ultimately fragrant, though not always pres- 
ently so. The Grace part was clear as crystal and soft 
as down. There were a number of others, intermin- 
gling along the way. Brilliant flowers of the sweetest 
fragrance bloomed upon this hedge, and their odors 
were wafted upon each passing breeze. The hedge 
grew upon either side of the Way of Life, and ren- 
dered it doubly attractive to the lonely pilgrim. It had 
been growing very slowly from the beginning of the 
pathway, but it was not until it reached this point that 
it became fully developed. This was a wise provision 
made by its Author, for it was here that it was most 
needed by those who were old and broken and com- 
paratively alone. 



AN ALLEGORY. 



113 



As I was traveling on, and in devotions and good 
works endeavoring to fit myself for a better world, 
which 1 knew was not far distant, a strange phenome- 
non suddenly appeared in the heavens. Seven stars 
all at once surrounded the Sun of Righteousness. I 
was informed that these stars were signs of blessings 
which would attend me in a fairer land, and which 
came chiefly through the atoning sacrifice of the Sun 
of Righteousness, but partly through my own devo- 
tions and labors. One of these stars was called the star 
of Immortality, another, the star of Love, another, 
the star of Joy, another, Peace, another, Glory, an- 
other, Holiness, another, Reward. They were of vari- 
ous colors, according to their nature, that of Holiness 
being white. The stars were very cheering to me in 
anticipation of their suggestions of the future. As we 
progressed, they attained great brilliancy, and in beauty 
were second only to the Sun of Righteousness, around 
whom they majestically revolved. Indeed, they were 
closely allied to this Sun, and were said to have pro- 
ceeded from him. Altogether, this phenomenon pre- 
sented a most striking and glorious appearance. 

We now moved along in the full sunlight; for the 
great orb had reached the zenith of the heavens. The 
sky was nearly clear, and gentle zephyrs were wafted 
toward our destination. Birds sang joyously, as if to 
cheer me, while the fragrance of flowers filled the air. 
The atmosphere was exceedingly bracing, and sus- 
tained me as I progressed. Suddenly in the midst of 
these things came a chano-e. The Sun did not cease to 
shine, but the atmosphere gave a strange, weird ap- 
pearance to his light. The birds ceased to sing, the 
zephyrs ceased to blow, and all nature seemed on the 
point of some great change. At this I became alarmed, 
and wondered at the cause. The guide, who had long- 
been silent, now spoke as follows : — 

" My son, the time for my departure is at hand. I 
have followed thee, to warn, to instruct, to edify, to 
lead, that I might show thee the way from this world 
to the next, which afterward you can follow. I have 



114 



THE WAY OF LIFE: 



now done for thee all that I can do. God has done 
for thee all that he can do consistent with the freedom 
of thy will I now pray thee to follow the literal 
Way of Life in the world, as thou hast followed it in 
this vision. When thou hast thus done, and in old 
age lain down to die, I will come to thee and waft thy 
spirit up to Paradise. Watch and pray and love and 
labor without ceasing. Avoid the temptations and the 
foolishness of the world. Remember that the things of 
this world are as a moment in duration, while those of 
the next are absolutely eternal. Remember the sac- 
rifice of Christ, and in gratitude live to his pleasure, 
and forget not the reward which he at last will give 
thee. Remember, also, that there is a hell to shun and 
a heaven to gain. To convince thee of this, I will take 
thee to these places, and show thee the pangs of the 
one and the glories of the other." As he said this, I 
heard a shivering sound, and turning my eyes sud- 
denly upon him, I saw that he was being transfigured. 
O, how changed ! My old and faithful guide was ex- 
ternally a new being. His honest and loving face 
now shone with almost the brightness of the sun. 
His plain garments gave place to glorious robes. His 
worn body became large, full, and powerful. His 
youth, also, was renewed, so that he now seemed 
younger, brighter, and fresher than when I first beheld 
him. I had learned to love him deeply, but now I felt 
a sacred awe for him. Soon his transfiguration was 
completed, and taking me by the arm he said, " Come, 
my son, and I will show thee hell and heaven, that 
thou mayst avoid the pangs of the one, and seek the 
glory of the other." 

HELL. 

We now arose in the air, and rushed through the 
heavens with awful velocity, many times faster than 
light. Sun, moon, and stars grew dim, and soon this 
stupendous universe was lost to sight. A vast, mys- 
terious space lay before us. Behind us was God and 



AN ALLEGORY. 



115 



all that was good. On and on we went, with increas- 
ing speed. At last a black speck arose in the distance. 
As we approached, it enlarged, and grew blacker. Ap- 
proaching nearer to it, we found it to be a vast world, 
— the world of fallen angels and sinful spirits. Over 
its portals in letters of black were written these words : 
"Doomed forever, because they sinned, and would not 
repent." Oh, the remorse, the sorrow, the anguish, the 
despair of this world ! They were not all punished 
alike, but they were all alike condemned. Some were 
condemned for one sin and some for another, each up- 
braiding the other for wrong-doing. There were many 
here from Wealth By-Path, who were suffering from 
the extreme poverty of their souls, being destitute of 
holiness. A vast multitude was here from Pleasure 
By-Path, whose pleasures were now turned to pain. 
Numbers were also here from Popularity By-Path, who 
were now despised by all. Many had reached this 
place from Liberal By-Path, who now cursed the fals- 
ity of their doctrines. Some were here from Literary 
By-Path, who had been lost in its mazes. An immense 
number came from Intemperance By-Path, whose 
drunken lives added greatly to their misery. A 
throng was here from Consummation By-Path, who 
now suffered the united evils of all the other paths. 
1 saw that the misused blessings of this world added 
to the misery of that ; that the refused mercy of this 
world added to the hopelessness of that ; and that the 
perverted light of this world, added to the darkness 
and misery there. As I stood gazing in sadness at this 
scene, the guide said, "It is enough," and seizing my 
arm, turned backward in our course. With the same 
matchless speed we rushed on and on. Not a word 
was spoken. The impression given by the overpower- 
ing space was sufficient. 

HEAVEN. 

Finally we came to the pearly gates, which were 
open. I did not enter, but was permitted a brief 
glimpse within. O, the glory, the magnificence, the 



116 



THE WAY OF LIFE. 



joy, of heaven ! No language can tell, no eloquence 
depict, no mind can comprehend it. In the midst of 
it was the triune Jehovah. He was awful, yet ap- 
proachable ; sublime, yet simple ; dazzling, yet endur- 
ing. There were angels, mighty archangels, and won- 
drous seraphim. There was also a vast multitude of 
the redeemed. There were those from Wealth By- 
Path who had entered the Way of Life, and had chosen 
the wealth of a better world. There were some from 
Pleasure By-Path, who had entered the sacred path- 
way to seek the pleasures that were eternal. I ako 
saw some from Popularity By-Path, who turned to the 
applause of their Maker and of Heaven. Some were 
present from Liberal By-Path, who, though wrong in 
doctrine, had, through the blood of the Lamb, been 
saved by their holy lives. Others were here from 
Literary By-Path who had turned to the literature of 
the " Volume of Life." I discovered a number from 
Intemperance By-Path, who finally drank from that 
Spirit which does not intoxicate. Others had left the 
united evils of Consummation By-Path, here to drink 
the consummation of all good. Those who had turned 
many to righteousness, shone like the stars ; and all the 
redeemed, who in wisdom had turned to God, shone 
with the brightness of the firmament, though not all 
in the same degree. 0, the depths of the love, the 
boundlessness of the joy, and the wonders of heaven ! 
But it was for me to catch only a momentary glimpse 
of these things, when the guide said: "It is enough." 
Seizing my arm, we sped back to the earth with an- 
gelic swiftness. Then touching my eyes, he said : 
" Live as I have shown thee, and I will return for'thee 
at the hour of death, and waft thee home." 

As I was waking, I heard a multitude of angels 
praising God, and blessing the guide who had followed 
me through my long, long journey. As they arose, he 
went with them, when these words came back in his 
sweet, sonorous voice: — 

"Farewell, farewell, but not forever." 



THE AWAKENING 



I 



